Secretly Dreams of Beauty
by arabella15
Summary: No! Erik, no sympathy. No one every showed that you, my mind growled darkly. I was about to turn and leave this taxing business behind me, but a vision of a young ballerina dressed in white popped into my head. I sighed letting all the air harshly out of my nose. Damn. I was really going to do this.
1. Hunger

I do not own Phantom of the Opera.

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I clung to the shadows of Paris. My hands trembling in tandem with the rumbling of my stomach.

The apples sat piled on the cart shiny and more precious than rubies. I crept slowly forward over the cobblestones on hands and knees, probably scraping my exposed skin. Truly though, I could care less since my head was only full of the emptiness of my stomach.

I finally made my way over to the small apple cart closest to the alley, sucking into the wall of the cart, trying to remain unseen.

My hand tenderly wrapped around the nearest apple, its red skin blushing under my touch. My mouth began to salivate, trying to imagine the crisp, tartness that would envelope my mouth within the near future.

_Crack_

A scream wrenched its way out of my throat and the apple went flying across the market square, drawing everyone's attention. I fell to my haunches, grasping my hand between my knees.

A shadow fell across me. Slowly I dared to look up. I wished I hadn't.

"You little _**Rat**_! How _**Dare**_ you!" The stout man above me yelled. A stick was held menacingly in his hand. He sneered at me exposing his yellow and black teeth.

The space behind him began to crowd with curious market goers. Their faces soon turned from curious to angry.

Fear started to creep into me. The growing mob must have sensed it because soon they were upon me.

I fled cradling my hand to my chest. Tears whipped past me and I kept my eyes trained on the road ahead of me, trying to keep my mind from the pain emanating from my hand. _Damn. _One of my fingers must had broken when that man hit me.

Somewhere behind me the sounds of anger bellowed. I forced my legs to take me faster, carrying me around random twists and turns, trying to escape.

I knew somewhere in my mind I was cursing my luck and I knew another part of me was smugly smiling happy that I was being punished. I didn't want to steal, I was raised better than this: running through the dark underbelly of Paris, dirty and unkempt, one hand broken and chased by an angry mob.

A cobble stone quickly sent me stumbling out of my thoughts and face first into the street. Pain enveloped my arm and my throat stung from the scream that wrung its way from out. Tears blurred my vision and the angry sounds from behind me were oozing closer and closer with each passing moment.

_Get up_; I grounded out in my head. _Get up_. The sound was closer. _Get up_. The pain was throbbing through me. _Get up_. I imagined my bones breaking under the feet of the mob behind me. _**GET UP! GET UP! GET UP**_!

I managed to lift my head. The shapes around me were blurred from the tears. I half wondered if I might get dehydrated after awhile from the loss of water.

My broken hand bumped the street and tore another strangled sound of pain from my already raw throat.

The pain cut through my tears, clearing my vision. Before me gaped the most beautiful gutter in all of Paris.

The hope that seized my chest smothered my very breath.

Slowly I crawled forward. Luckily I had starved to the point where my small frame fit.

As soon as I popped through the gutter I felt my body free falling. I counted the time it took for me to hit the bottom.

1- I wrapped my arms around my head. There was no way in hell I was going to die after all of this.

2- I went limp. My father had once told me to do this if by any chance I fell off my horse. Luckily I never had to test out the theory before, but apparently my luck just ran out.

3- I sent a silent prayer that there was nothing sharp to impale on below me.

4- Or water because lord knows I would not be able to swim with this hand.

5-Fear started to tickle my stomach.

6- How long was this drop?

7- Maybe I should have taken my chance with the mob above.

8- Damn

9- Maybe if I go head first I could just die on impact.

10-_** PAIN**_

_And the rest is silence,_ was the last thing the poor wretch thought.

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**Erik**

My hand stilled on the piano. Someone had screamed—had fallen into one of my traps. A sneer began to form on my mouth.

Damn them, coming down here—they deserved it. With that I quickly shook my head of the thought and placed my fingers onto the keys once more.

"…"

I pulled my brows together. The silence was bugging me. Normally by now the lair would be full of anguished cries for help, yet there was nothing.

None of the cranks for my traps were moving. Meaning that none of my traps had been sprung and whoever had screamed was still around.

The conclusion to my torrent of thoughts brought a deep frown to my face. My hand went to my free temple as I tried to rub out the frustration.

A deep sigh escaped me and I turned from my organ to descend to my boat. It would have been much easier for whoever it was to just die in a trap never to see me. It was such a pain to have to kill people personally.

Well some people at least, there are others who I knew deserved it. The image of a dark gypsy man flitted through my mind. A smile tricked to my face. He had given me a look of such surprise as I slipped the small rope around his neck.

But then again others were hard to forget and the guilt was at times hard to crush.

The bumping of my boat as it crested the rocky shore on the other side of the lake brought me from my thoughts. I fluidly removed myself from the boat before meticulously checking each trap.

Finally I got to the last trap under the stairs that descended directly to my lair. As I had already guessed, the water was free of any floating bodies… well any that had just fallen in recently.

I quickly turned away from the fractured skeletons and tattered clothes of the- the fool, that's right Erick the fool that invaded your home. With that thought in mind I quickly turned to the corridor that ran closest to the main street in front of the opera.

I knew that no one would be there since there is a 10 foot drop from the gutter to the corridor floor.

I paused mid stride. It is true that someone being down this way is very unlikely. In fact the person who came in would probably more likely come from the gutters in the back since the drop is only half as high.

Yes it would seem more plausible, besides that is where most of the homeless of Paris had normally snuck in beforehand. Well at least that was until I was old enough to… relocate them.

I turned on my toes heading in the direction of the back corridor. Once again I stopped mid step.

It was still possible that someone came in through these corridors. That and the front corridors were closer to my lair.

I paused teetering from foot to foot. Finally I turned around again to examine the front corridor. Couldn't hurt I thought.

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Read and Review Gag chapter will be posted Monday.


	2. The Box

**This is a Gag chapter. This means that this chapter is not actually part of the real story! If you want to continue with the real story skip this and go to chapter 3.**

I don't own Phantom of the Opera.

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Chloe sat in the old black chair folded around a book. She was right in the middle of a good part when Erik came stomping into the lair muttering darkly to himself.

Well this was not the first time that Erik had been in a bad mood, so she quickly got out her emergency cotton and stuffed it in her ears.

As soon as Erik's dark ranting was completely blocked out Chloe returned to her book.

Soon a large crash resounded though-out the cavern. "GREAT THAT'S JUST GREAT! THANK-YOU LORD FOR BRIGHTENING MY DAY EVEN MORE!"

A deep sigh escaped Chloe's lips. She then slowly rose from the chair, reaching her arms to the ceiling, stretching out the kink in her back.

Her eyes quickly found Erik's hunched form across the lair. Another sigh escaped from her before she padded over to him.

Large pieces of marble lay on the floor. Probably from one of the many busts that seemed to multiply in Erik's home.

Chloe quickly gathered her skirt before kneeling to help.

Soon all the pieces were put into a wooden box that already had chunks of random debris in it. Apparently this happened often.

Erik stood and left to go and terrorize another part of his poor house. A mischievous smile quickly enveloped Chloe's face as she reached for the pot of ink and brush on the table next to her.

Several minutes and loud crashed later Erik returned back to the main part of the lair still mumbling darkly. Several other destroyed miscellaneous objects were clutched to his chest.

"WHAT IS THIS", Erick raved, pointing at the wooden box.

A confused look crossed Chloe's face before her face brightened with understanding. She quickly pulled that cotton from her ears and looked at Erik expectantly.

His eyebrow twitched and in a low dangerous voice he asked," What is that"?

A look of innocence overtook Chloe's features. "What is what" she asked, knitting her eyebrows in false confusion. "You really should be more specific Erik", she continued.

Erik clenched his hands in an attempt to keep from strangling the poor girl. "What is this", he said holding up the old wooden box. On the front in bold black print was "ONLY TO BE BROUGHT OUT IN CASE OF EXTREME TANTRUMS".

Chloe's mouth quirked before she regained control again and a deadly serious look came across her face. "Erik do you have a box just in case of normal tantrums too, because I think you are gonna need it", she said.

A look of pure demonic rage clung to Erik's features.

Chloe booked it down the nearest tunnel laughing like a mad man with a very pissed of Phantom hot on her tail.

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	3. Ballerina

I do not own Phantom of the Opera

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**Erik**

I was only half way down the corridor when I came upon the body. I sighed in relief luckily it was dead.

I was about to turn to go, when the body below me took in a low shallow breath. "Shi-." _No, no swearing. That is not a gentlemanly thing to do, _I chided. I immediately let out a small chuckle.

To think a monster like me being a gentleman, it just brought a smile to my face.

Another shallow breath brought me out of my inner monologue to face the problem at hand. I immediately cursed my luck. Why couldn't this thing just have died, it would have been so much easier.

Sighing I took a step closer to the person on the floor, wincing involuntarily. The ring finger on the left hand was bent awkwardly to the right as well as the left arm just above the wrist.

My eyes went automatically to the gutter 15ft above my head before settling back onto the person in front of me. He must have been a young boy no older than 12 or 13.

He had no shoes and his clothes were ripped and stained the brown/gray of the wretched streets of Paris. His face had good structure to it but it was hard to tell his ethnicity as a result of the grime that caked all of his face, well except for the two clear streams that ran from his eyes.

His hair was equally as dirty as the rest of him, and the majority of the knotted mess was clumsily stuffed into a thread bare bag that served as a makeshift hat.

My gaze went again to his face, and I let out a cold, barking laugh. The child was actually smiling in his sleep. Well it was understandable; his dream world must be heaven in comparison to the reality of his situation.

With that my decision was made; I would simply leave him to die where he was. Then he would never have to wake up to the pain he would surely feel… or find that dreams are not the only places with monsters.

My hand touched my mask, my face contorted in self mockery.

I promptly turned on my toe, and almost tripped over a bag. _Blast! Where the Hel—heck did this bag come from?_

The bag then began to squirm as if it could feel the intensity of my angry gaze. I raised my visible brow in confusion. The bag continued to squirm until the knarled, grimy rump of a rat could be seen protruding from the bag.

The rat quickly revealed the rest of itself, with something in its mouth. Our eyes met briefly before the rat quickly decided to cut its losses and scamper off. I slowly bent taking the object, I now discerned to be a handmade stuffed animal, into my gloved hand.

"You have got to be joking", I half growled. It was a monkey, a handmade stuffed monkey. My hand cautiously went to finger the monkey's paws. They were hard— no wait they were cymbals. _Perfect this is just great. _

All I ever asked was to be left alone in my lair to brood, but no this little brat had to show up and ruin what would have been a nice day. I growled at the monkey, forcing out the emotions it was bringing up.

I whipped my head back to the mostly lifeless boy below me, and angrily wiped the tears from my cheek. _Damn him!_

A cruel smile unfolded on my face. I will save this child. He will face the consequences of my feelings. I quickly dropped to my knees next to the boy and roughly set his broken bones.

A painful whimper escaped his lips, and his face contorted in pain. I paused, guilt tugging at my stomach. I sat there for an undeterminable amount of time, looking at the boy.

What if had been this boy, I thought idly.

_NO! Stop it Erik, no sympathy! No one has shown that to you_. I roughly nodded my head in agreement before standing once more. I looked down at him deciding once again to leave him here to die. Then I could return to my lair and push this nasty incident from my mind.

In fact I would be doing him a favor by letting him die here, yes that's right a favor. I know I would rather die if I was in his position. With that I turned flicking my cape over my shoulder.

My foot kicked the stuffed monkey I had dropped earlier, sending it skidding down the tunnel. The image of my monkey from ages ago suddenly forced itself to the surface, and with it came the image of a young ballerina all in white leading me to the opera house.

_This boy needs a ballerina of his own, but instead he got stuck with me_, I thought darkly. My face sank into a depression.

Damn.

I swiftly picked up the monkey and put it in the satchel, securing it around my shoulder. Turning I swept the boy into my arms and made my way to my boat.

I managed to get him across the lake and into my bed without jostling his arm too much. I soon had the remainder of his left sleeve off and his arm and hand cleaned and bandaged. As soon as I had all of the bandages put back in their proper trunk I went and sat next to the bed.

He was still sleeping peacefully thank heavens and I let out a breath I had not known I was holding. My eyes lingered on his grimy exterior and I concluded he would need a bath as soon as he woke.

I then swiftly rose to my desk and began to compose a note. As soon as it was finished I sat it next to on the night stand next to the bed. My eyes temporarily lingered on the music box that also occupied the night stand.

The monkey attached to it smiled at me comfortingly. I reached down, winding it. _I was not the only one who needed to be comforted_, I thought looking at the boy who occupied my bed. Soon the tune of _Masquerade_ could be heard throughout my lair.

I cast another look at the boy and frowned at how pitifully skinny he was. He was going to need to eat when he got up… and also a clean set of clothes I concluded. I once again I crossed the length of my lair to my boat.

Soon it crested the rocky shore on the other side. The tune from the music box could be heard echoing off the cave walls.

My thoughts once again turned to the young ballerina that had taken me in. I let out a small chuckle, thinking about how similar the boy and I were.

_Well, if he is me then I have to be the ballerina_, I thought with humor. "Hm", _maybe it won't be too bad being a ballerina, _was the last thing I thought I had before I began to make my assent to the surface.

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Review and Read, but not in that order. Or in that order I don't care.


	4. Riddle

**This is a Gag chapter, meaning that it does not have anything to do with the actual story. Please skip to chapter 5 if you want to continue with the actual story. Thank you.**

I do not own the Phantom of the Opera

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Erik once again let out another heart wrenching sigh, and Chloe felt her brow twitch in suppressed anger. "Erik what is the matter? You have been moping around for the last three days", Chloe as in what she hoped was a normal tone.

Erik face went completely blank as he stared at her as if that was the stupidest question she could have asked and he would not disgrace himself by graciously giving her an answer.

The pencil in Chloe's hand snapped and her knuckles were white from the force she was exerting. Steam began to comically rise from her head.

Erik turned back around in his chair to resume to blankly staring at his desk. A rain cloud soon materialized above Erik's head and began to storm darkly.

Chloe's temper began to rise again. She could understand being depressed but for God's sake not for a whole three days. She soon began to imagine she could shoot lasers out of her eyes and into the back of Erik's head.

This helped relieve her annoyance… until Erik sighed again.

"FOR GOD SAKES ERIK IF YOU SIGH ONE MORE GOD DAMN TIME I WILL FILL YOU LAKE WITH BUBBLE BATH AND INVITE ALL OF THE HOMELESS IN PARIS TO USE IT AS A BATH HOUSE", Chloe raved as she jumped from her seat.

Erik turned from the desk and gave her a blank look, quizzically lifting his eyebrow. "For one thing dear Chloe: language. Also if you must know I am depressed because I am truly the smartest person I have ever met. Therefore I have no one I can truly share deep conversations with", he stated dryly.

Chloe shared a silent look that lasted for over 3 minutes.

Finally Chloe said," You are such a narcissistic pric-". "Lang-uageee", Erik drawled. Chloe let out a harsh breath crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Erik pushed himself from his chair to drop to the organ bench across from where Chloe was sitting. The faced each other for a while before Erik began to sigh again.

He immediately swallowed the sigh when he saw the demonic look of anger on Chloe's face.

"Why don't you hold a contest of riddles", Chloe finally suggested. Erik knitted his eye brows at her, asking her to elaborate. "People would give you riddles and if they gave you one that you could not answer they could win some sort of cash prize", she continued.

Erik began to rub the nose of his mask in thought. "You know Chloe that is a wonderful idea", he said giving her a genuine smile.

Soon flyers were put up all around the Opera house telling anyone who wanted to try for the prize to meet the Phantom on the roof of the Opera house.

All of the ballet rats, most of the stage hands and even the great La Carlotta tried… and failed. This of course resulted in a huge temper tantrum that left Erik deaf on his right ear for the next three days.

So once again we find Erik and Chloe sitting in the lair. Chloe trying the ignore Erik's rain cloud that had permanently formed above his head after the incidence with La Carlotta.

Erik began to sigh again. "Erik I could still get the bubble soap out", Chloe threatened mildly.

"Sorry Chloe I just thought that at least someone would be able to challenge my obviously superior knowledge.

Chloe put down her sketch book and turned in her seat so she was completely facing Erik. Her brows twitched in annoyance at the gloomy look Erik was giving her.

"Erik how about I give you a riddle", Chloe asked in annoyance. A light chuckle escaped Erik's lips. "Chloe I hardly doubt you would be able to come up with-". "Why is a raven like a writing desk ", Chloe cut in furiously.

Erik rolled his eyes exasperated. "Chloe a raven is like a writing desk because…" Erik faltered his eyed screwing up in concentration. "Well… you see… it's because… umm", he continued to stutter.

A triumphant smile possessed Chloe's face as she stood taking the large burlap bag of money from Erik's desk. "Well it appears I have won, so I am going to the surface to spend my winnings on a couple new dresses", she said casting her gaze back to Erik.

His face had become red and his brows knitted together so violently that they looked like one individual brow nestled in the middle of his forehead.

"Oh by the way the tantrum box is under your desk just in case you need it", Chloe threw over her shoulder as she made her way down one of the many corridors.

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Read and Review, also if you have any requests for the next gag chapter please leave them in the comments.


	5. Another Heaven

I do not own the Phantom of the Opera

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My arm throbbed horribly; slowly it brought me to my senses. I wished it hadn't. Gradually I started to reach my good arm out, trying to get a feel for my surroundings.

Soft, very soft. Why is it soft, where had I passed out? My arm throbbed again. _Oh yeah, angry mob—_falling.

My hand ran over the softness around me again. _Did I die? Did I go to heaven?_

Well there is one way to find out, I thought.

Slowly I opened my eyes, waiting for them to focus. A sheer black veil encased the bed that I was entangled in. I craned my head as far as I could to the right and left, but I couldn't make out any details of my surroundings through the veil.

Upon further inspection I found a rope hanging down to my right. I curiously reached up with my good hand and gave it a tug. The veil began to lift exposing the brilliant candles and misty lake that highlighted the chamber where I now resided in.

My jaw dropped, that sealed the deal. I had definitely gone to heaven. My eyes hungrily began to devour the sights before me. The artwork, the piano, the sheet music, the lake, the candles. It was so stunning.

My vision soon began to give in to my other senses and the distinct sound of chimes brought my attention to the stuffed monkey next to me. It was adorable; it reminded me of my own monkey, Felix.

I quickly sat up—bad idea. My head started to swirl violently, my vision shimmering intensely. I would have wretched but my stomach was empty.

Slowly I breathed in and out of my mouth trying to calm myself. I began to look for my satchel again as soon as I was certain I wouldn't pass out again.

It wasn't anywhere to be seen. My spirits dropped. Felix, even though he was not much, he had been there for me through thick and thin. I quickly wiped the tears that had formed in my eyes. I was getting too old to be keeping a stuffed animal anyway.

My eyes strayed to the monkey again to notice a note leaning up against it. I couldn't see what it said and I knew, with my luck, that if I leaned over to grab it I would fall out of the bed face first. I cringed at the thought.

I then began the long and tedious task of rolling out of bed. My feet touched the ground. It was freezing! Who would have thought heaven would be so cold I thought with a smirk.

I took one of the blankets and wrapped it around me. This proved difficult to do with just one arm, but I eventually got it done. I then turned my attention to the note. It read:

Dear Child,

I have gone above to gather supplies as well as some new clothes for you. I have set the bones in your arm and they shall heal up nicely. You are free to roam around my home, but to not touch the piano or rifle with any of my sheet music or consequences will be dire. Speaking of which you unknowingly broke into my home, we will speak more on that later. If the monkey stops playing turn the knob on the back to the right. DO NOT OVER WIND IT.

-The Phantom

"…"

I did not know what to think, but I knew I already trusted this "Phantom". He could not be a bad guy if he fixed my arm and allowed me into to stay in his home. There are not many in Paris who would do the same.

It had been a long time since I had experienced such kindness. I looked around the chamber again with a smile. It truly was beautiful.

My attention was soon drawn to a tunnel slightly hidden by a curtain. Curiosity took my feet and drove me to the opening. The air in the tunnel felt warmer and a gentle glow was starting to fill the air as I went further and further.

The tunnel opened up onto a beautiful garden. My jaw dropped. The chamber was filled with flowers of every color and a gently stream was running through the middle. My feet began to move around the cobble stone path, taking in the view in front of me.

"I see you found my garden".

I whipped around. He was beautiful. I had to mentally force myself to keep my jaw from dropping. He was tall with a muscular build, and groomed and dressed to perfection. His eyes were teal and his raven black hair was smoothed back. A white mask covered half of his face.

My curiosity immediately quirked, but I stomped it down, not wanting to be rude.

His eyebrow lifted and I blushed realizing I hadn't answered his question. "Ye-yes it is amazing", I finally managed to stutter.

"How do you get anything to grow down here", I queried pushing away my earlier embarrassment.

"Artificial sunshine", he said pointing to the lamps on the chamber walls.

"That's pure genius", I exclaimed. My vision went from him to sweep over the garden again.

He shifted uneasily not sure how to respond to the compliment.

I turned back to him. "Thank you for fixing my arm", I said offering him a sincere smile. He offered back a small nod.

"I cleaned your arm but the rest of you needs to be cleaned as well", he said as he began to walk back to the main room. "Follow me, we will get you a bath", he said.

I looked down at the dirty grimy skin that I had been wearing for the last 6 years. A bath, an actual bath. The closest that I had come to a bath since I had started living on the streets was soaking in a pond next to an old barn I had taken to living in.

Soon we were out in the main room. He led me to a door in the back and opened it to reveal a large room with a gargantuan sized brass tub. My eyes became saucers as I took in the beautiful marble room littered with assorted oils and shampoos.

The sound of running water filled the room. "How do you like your water?", he asked looking at me over his shoulder.

"Hot", I replied. He adjusted the brass knobs before testing the stream of water coming from the facet. He gave his head a decisive nod, before turning to me completely.

"I will help you undress", he said, taking a step towards me.

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Read and review. The gag chapter will be posted tomorrow. ^^


	6. Moaning

**This is a Gag chapter, meaning that it is not part of the actual story. Please skip to chapter 7 if you wish to continue with the actual story. Thank you. **

I do not own The Phantom of the Opera

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Chloe put down her charcoal and inspected her latest work. Wholly satisfied she pinned it to the clothes line, now running the length of the lair.

She pride fully looked upon her other works that littered the lair. Then quite a question seized her mind. Where was Erik? Her countenance screamed astonishment. How had she not noticed his absence?

Normally he would possess the chair next to her until she completed her work, but now he was no were to be seen.

Chloe absentmindedly scratched her head in thought. When was the last time she had seen him?

"Oh yeah, the riddle", she replied. That had been a week ago, worry began to prick her mind. Where the hell had he holed himself up? He had better not still be moping, she thought trying to stay rational.

She semi-frantically began her search. Well he was not in the garden, or the rafter of the stage.

Chloe made her way to the roof. She opened the door to see none other than La Carlotta and her poor poodle. Chloe quickly ducked behind the nearest statue.

"Yes, yes who is Mama's cutsie-wootsie fluffy-wuffy? You- yes- you, that's who", La Carlotta exclaimed. Chloe chanced a glance at the obnoxious Prima Dona.

La Carlotta was unreservedly lavishing the poor pooch in kisses. Red lipstick stained its afro-mane and Chloe could not help but make gagging faces at the display before her. The poor creature in question spotted her and gave her the most pitiful look of self loathing.

In return Chloe offered a unspoken salute before silently marching back to the door. Chloe left the roof with a new found respect for La Carlotta's cutsie-wootsie fluffy-wuffy.

Soon Chloe, yet again, found herself in the lair. "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU", Chloe screamed in frustration.

No sooner had the words been uttered a mirror behind the organ slid open. "Dear Chloe what have I told you about young ladies that use that kind of language"? Of course the person coming from the mirror was none other than the Phantom himself.

"Erik where the He-", Chloe quickly cut herself off as she saw Erik lifted one chiding brow. "-heck were you", she corrected. An amused smile graced Erik's lips.

"My dear, were you actually worried about me", Erik addressed taking a step towards her. A blush quickly consumed Chloe's face.

"N-no", she stuttered. "I was simply curious as to where you might have disappeared to", she stuttered taking a step back.

"Really Chloe? I hardly doubt that", he said huskily taking another step towards her.

"Eri-Erik Wh-hat are you doing", she weakly questioned taking a step back. Unfortunately for her she had backed herself into a wall. Erik seizing the opportunity trapped her against the wall between his arms.

"Chloe you can hardly deny the attraction you have for me", he whispered into her ear.

"Erik you are such a narcissistic pri-". Her insult was swiftly cut off with a steaming kiss. Both of them gave in, allowing hands and tongues to explore at their leisure.

Erik finally released her lips. He was pleased to find her hair tossed wildly, her chest rising rapidly as she tried to reclaim her stolen air, and her charcoal eyes half lidded in arousal.

"Say it, say you want me", Erik pleaded, taking her into his arms.

"Erik I-I want yo-"

Pain erupted in his skull as his eyes wrenched open. He soon found himself tipping back words in the chair he was sitting in.

A loud crash and an unmanly scream emanated throughout the lair and Erik found himself splayed across the floor. Erik slowly put himself into a seated position as he rubbed his head in pain.

He looked up to see none other than Chloe standing above him, holding one of his music theory books in her hand menacingly.

"I don't mind you sleeping at the table at I sketch at, but I draw the line when you start moaning in your sleep", she said narrowing her eyes at him.

The Phantom looked at her wide eyed before launching himself in the direction of the bathroom. The sound of running water was soon heard.

"Why would he decide to take a shower now", Chloe mused. What a strange man she thought shrugging her shoulder.

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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH AHA! I be funny ^^ The next chapter will be out this coming Sunday.

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	7. Gone South

I do not own Phantom of the Opera

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His eyes widened dramatically as I stepped towards him. I automatically withdrew my raised hand. Of course he wouldn't want a monster like me touching him. Stubborn little brat I just wanted to help him, I thought maliciously. I once again raised my arm, closing in on him.

"No-no no no, I can do it myself", the boy pleaded as he held out his good arm, trying to keep me at bay.

My nostrils flared in anger. "What is it little boy? Do you shrink away in fear because you think me a monster", I questioned menacingly, taking yet again another step forward. The boy was now pinned between me and the granite counter.

"Please don't-just don't", he begged almost in tears. _What?!_ I screamed in my head. _What about me is making this child cry!? Would he do the same if I was normal? He has not even seen my face how could he know? _

All these questions popped into my head one after another notching my anger higher and higher. Finally I snapped.

The sound of ripping material bounced throughout the chamber. Buttons flew in all directions hitting me, the counter and even flying behind me to land in the filling tub.

His eyes widened almost as if to accommodate the surge of tears that now filled them. A scream tore its way from his horror filled jaw. He swiftly spun himself away from me squatting on the ground sobbing.

A bandage completely covered the boys back and most likely his chest as well. I slowed my anger-filled breath and my eyes softened in enlightenment. I slowly joined the sobbing boy squatting on ground.

"I am sorry I frightened you, I had simply though you were being stubborn", I whispered gently. His sobs continued but soon began to slow. "I know how scary it can be being hurt, but I want to help you", I continued putting my hand gently on his shoulder.

He flinched but allowed my hand to stay where it was. Soon his shoulders stilled and his sobs turned to light sniffles. I let out a silent sigh of relief. "You are going to have to let me see it", I informed gently.

His head shook violently in the negative. My temper flared, but I clamped down on the feeling not wanting to scare him anymore. "Please don't be difficult. Whatever is ailing you will only get worse and since I have taken you in as my ward I will not allow you to become sick", I continued more sternly.

"Sir please its- I am not- just please don't", he stuttered. My temper flared again but stronger making my eyes narrow. "Child I am not giving you an option", I half growled. The boy whipped his head around his wide eyes fixed on me in horror.

"Don't give me that look. You act like I am going to kill you", I muttered reaching for where the filthy bandage was sloppily tied. His hand darted out to grab mine. "Please! I am not hurt", he beseeched desperately.

I simply raised my eyebrow in irritation. He must have taken that as a sign to explain, because his face soon became the scene of an inwards battle. Finally he must have given in to one of the battling thoughts because he let out a deep sigh and brought his attention to my eyes as if looking for something to trust in.

Great this was going to be difficult. I would have better luck getting La Carlotta to sing well then getting anyone, much less this boy, to trust me. Of course why would I expect anyone to trust such a disgusting distorted soul such as-?

"I don't know why, but I feel like I can trust you", he said softly letting go of my wrist. My mind blanked, I didn't know what to say so I merely nodded stupidly.

He bit his lip nervously, before gulping in a large amount of air. "**L**et's**j**ust**s**ay**i**t's**e**asier**b**eing**ab**oy**o**n**t**he**s**treets**t**hen**ag**irl", he whispered swiftly, not meeting my eyes.

It took a second for me to figure out what he had said. It took me half a minute for what he had said to sink in. It took less than a second for a fiery blush to seize my face. We stared at each other silently with matching red faces. She seemed to be holding her breath to see what I would do.

"So-sorry" I said turning away from her to see the tub almost overflowing. I silently cursed and rushed to turn off the knobs.

With the tub no longer threatening to throw water all over the floor my mind once again turned to the moment at hand. She still had not said anything. My mind was also drawing a blank. What was I suppose to say?

I had watched the stage crew men interacting with the ballet rats, but they were always crude and disgusting towards them. That's not how I wanted to treat her, but I had never talked with a girl before.

I snuck a glance towards her and saw the grace hidden under the layers of muck on her face. She was in all likelihood beautiful under all of the grime.

I needed to get out of the bathroom.

I was about to turn and leave when a hand snuck out grabbing a hold of my jacket sleeve. "Um Sir? I turned to see the source of the noise clutching at the cuff of my jacket. I raised a curious brow, causing her to bite her lip.

"I hate to trouble you anymore but I need help", she murmured, gluing her eyes to the floor. I slowly nodded. "Wh-what?" I stopped, clearing my throat before continuing, "What can I assist you in?"

She blushed heavily. "Well I can't get my pants undone, and I can't untie the bandages". My face turned red again as my thoughts turned south.

Being seventeen, I was well accustomed with these thoughts, _but for God's sake Erik get a hold of yourself. You said you were going to take care of this girl therefore you will take care of her, I mentally chided myself._

I got a hold of my thoughts, and the blush that was infecting my ability to think. I then nodded solemnly, forcing my hands slowly to the buttons on her pants. Soon they were undone.

Unfortunately she was so thin from hunger that they slid off her frame and on to the ground.

I was relieved to find that the bandages extended all the way to her knees, but the tightly wrapped bandages left little to the imagination.

I took a deep breath before I reached to the tie on her side and began to work out the knot. Soon I held in my hand two untied strands of bandage.

Swiftly I turned myself away from her, letting go of the bandages. The sound of the bathroom door swinging open and slamming shut soon echoed throughout my lair. I pressed my back to the bathroom door before sliding down to sit on the floor.

The sound of bandages hitting the floor and relieved sighs soon had me up rapidly walking away from the door.

I needed to do something—anything to keep my mind from the naked girl who was bathing in my bathtub.

I shortly found my feet turning toward the part of the cave I used as a kitchen. _She will inevitably be hungry when she is done,_ I thought.

I, before long, found the loaf of bread I had taken from the Opera's kitchen and a knife in my hand. I settled down to make a meal when the light sounds of a song began to filter its way out from the bathroom.

I paused listening, _it was not half bad and definitely had some potential,_ I thought. My mind once again turn south as I listened.

I feverishly returned to the task at hand as I began hacking the bread into slices.

I flinched. Pain began to prick along the length of my left pointer finger. I brought the stinging appendage to my face to see a line a red. I promptly stuck it in my mouth sucking the blood off.

My brows soon quirked in annoyance. _What was wrong with me_? _It's not like this is the first time I have ever seen a girl._

_Wrong Erik, this is the first time you have actually talked to a girl you have seen, _my mind argued. _No, I talk to Madam Giry frequently, _I argued back. I paused the mental debate already sensing that it was pointless.

One thought swiftly rose above the rest squirming in my head.

_What had I gotten myself into?_

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Read and Review. The Gag chapter will be out tomorrow. ^^


	8. If a Blush could Kill

**This is a Gag chapter, meaning that it is in no way connected to the actual story. If you wish to continue with the actual story please skip to chapter 9. Thanks.**

I do not own the Phantom of the Opera.

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Erik found himself seated in the familiar chair at his desk, trying to force the kinks out of his latest work. That was until another sigh pierced his well versed concentration. He allowed himself a pause so that he could look at Chloe who had seated herself on the arm chair across the lair.

She was lying sideways with her feet hanging off the arm of the chair, her arm lying over her eyes. He couldn't help but notice the way her dress hung on her every curve.

Erik forced his eyes back onto the quill lying innocently. He gave it a malicious stare that would have made any regular quill burst into tears on the spot, but his quill was very familiar with Erik's shifting moods and just shrugged it off.

After a few seconds of intense glaring Erik finally closed his eyes in deep thought. That was it I was going to get her some men's clothes, he thought viciously standing up.

"Erik what's wrong"?

Erik let his eyes land on Chloe again. She had one lazy eye peeping at him from under her red curls. She lazily bit her lower lip as she unfolded and re-folded her legs, the deep purple dress sliding up to expose some of her lower thigh.

Red slowly rose up Erik's masked face, his poor little heart doing flip flops. Well maybe it won't be a bad thing keeping her in a dress, Erik thought sheepishly.

"Erik I am bored", she half moaned, her voice hoarse from sleep.

Oh dear God give me strength, Erik thought. He turned to see Chloe standing behind him, rubbing one eyes with a yawn. Her hair was slightly disheveled and one shoulder of her dress was only halfway on.

He should have asked for self restraint.

Erik cleared his throat in hopes that his answer would not come out high pitched. "What would you like to do", he asked in a voice that was deeper than normal.

Chloe finished rubbing her eye and gave Erik a hard look. Erik began to comically sweat bullets. "Erik are you okay", Chloe questioned taking a step towards him. She then put a hand to the unmasked part of his head.

"Well you are not running a fever, but your face is all red", she commented obviously boggled. Her eyes then widened comically. "Oh no it just got worse", she exclaimed a look of concern coming over her face.

Part of Erik was cursing the blush that was continuing to escalate on his face, but another part of him was actually flattered that she cared. "You know Chloe I am fine. No need to worry", He assured hurriedly.

Chloe gave Erik a skeptical look before taking her hand from his head and placing it on his neck. Erik swallowed hard. "Wh-what are you doing", he gasped with an obvious hitch.

"Taking your pulse of course", she murmured. "Erik are you sure you are okay? Your heart is racing", she exclaimed. Her eyes then scrolled from her from his throat to his face, which was now a brilliant tomato red.

Erik gently clasped the hand that was now resting at the hollow of his throat, clearing his throat. "My dear I am fine, now didn't you say you were bored", he said calmly.

On the inside his mind was in tumult.

"I am but I don't feel like going out if you are coming down with something", she said stubbornly.

"Actually I think some time out would refresh my spirits and you know tonight is Halloween and the Opera is throwing a party. Why don't we go up", Erik suggested weakly.

Chloe's face lit up "Really we can go! You know Carlotta had invited me to go shopping with her", she exclaimed in glee.

Erik let out a sigh of relief. Now that she was no longer touching him he would be able to think properly. That was of course when his brain caught up to her words.

His jaw almost fell off in surprise.

"Carlotta?! Are you talking about La Carlotta? Why would you want to go with her? Why would she want to go with you? When did you even meet each oth-".

Erik's torrent of questions was soon silenced by Chloe's finger. She then put her free finger to her lips mirroring his forced expression. "Shhhhhhh", she chided gently giving him a wink.

The blush that had been receding from Erik's face returned with a vengeance. Luckily Chloe had not noticed.

"Well Erik, about two months ago me and Carlotta met and we hit it off. She really is not as bad as people make her out to be. That and I think I am rubbing off on her", Chloe explained with a shrug.

Erik simple nodded since he had temporarily lost control of his vocal cords. Well now that he had thought about it La Carlotta had not had one of her temper tantrums in the last month.

"Okay I am going to go up and see if I can catch her before she leaves", she said hurriedly giving him a quick hug and scurrying away.

Erik looked towards the ceiling letting out a slow breath. Thank you lord was the last thing he thought before he returned to back to his desk to finally resume working on his song.

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The End. Just kidding this will be resumed in the next Gag Chapter. It is going to be something real special in honor of it being the 10th chapter of this Fanfic. =D

Read and Review please.


	9. Where I will be Known

I do not own Phantom of the Opera

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The meal was prepared and set out. A fire was blazing in the hearth next to the dining table. And I was still stuck in the bathroom.

It's not like it was my fault, it was more like it was my luck. Thankfully the man, whose name she had still yet to learn, had given her a couple of dresses. Unfortunately the dress laced up in the back and with my bum arm there was no way in hell I would be able to lace it up.

So as of right now I was squatting in front of the door leading to the main room pondering my other options. I let out a mournful sigh and decided the best option was to go out and ask him to lace her up.

My eyebrows scrunched up as I let my imagination begin to run wild. The image of the beautiful man who had rescued me turning into a lecherous wolf popped into my head.

I quickly shoved the image aside knowing damn well that if he had wanted to he could have taken right there on the bathroom floor. Yet he hadn't therefore he wouldn't do so now.

Yet still it was going to be extremely embarrassing to ask him to lace me up I thought as a blush started to creep up my cheeks.

I let out another sigh as I looked at the clock sitting on the granite table top. For a while I looked not really seeing the time, only noticing the beautiful machine itself. It was a black mask, or at least half of one, cut from the chin to the forehead. It looked as though there might have been another half at one point or another.

I quickly pulled myself from my inner monologue as I realized I had spent over an hour in the bathroom. I closed my eyes allowing myself another minute of peace.

Finally I stood, determinedly grabbing the door knob. "Well it is now or never", I murmured turning the handle.

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**Erik**

_Dear Lord how long does it take to get clean?_ Erik thought as he impatiently raked his hand though his raven locks. He was now pacing the length of the dining table in an attempt to keep himself from marching to the bathroom and demanding that she be out within the next 30 seconds.

He quickly turned from his thoughts to look at the table that he had set earlier. Erik looked at the simple sandwiches he had made glad that he had talked himself out of making the soup that he had gathered supplies for.

_No doubt that it would be stone cold by the time that she got out of the bathroom, _he thought in annoyance. Erik let out a harsh breath trying to ease the tension that he felt.

Of course he was slightly angry at her but he was also nervous. Erik was not quite sure what he was going to say. The last time he had tried to talk to a woman had been when the current prima donna: La Carlotta had been hired.

After a lot of screaming and a few broken vases Erik had decided he would never offer to teach another soul how to sing again, or talk to another woman for that matter.

Erik paused his inner tirade when he felt a light tug on his sleeve. He turned and his jaw almost fell off.

Dark red curls fell down and around her lightly freckled face. Her eyes were dark grey slates that were now fixed on him hopefully. She had a light blush covering her cheeks.

Erik was stunned into silence. This image in front of him was radically different from the broken little boy he had carried into his lair.

"Um will- will you lace me up?" she mumbled.

Erik's mind went blank but he did manage to nod his consent.

Soon she had her back to him. Erik bit his lip. Her back was pale and petite, but it was covered in scars. Erik winced at the particularly nasty one running from the top of her left shoulder down past what the dress covered.

This was most likely the result of living on the streets, Erik himself had a couple of scars he had gained in similar circumstances. Erik came to the present as soon as he felt her start to stiffen up. Erik stiffened as well; anger rearing its ugly head. "Sorry you have to put up with a monster like myself, madam", Erik whispered harshly.

A laugh escaped from the small women in front of him. "Sir I hope you are speaking sarcastically because you are hardly a monster. For gods sakes you picked me literally out of the gutter and took care of me", she said brushing off his comment as a joke.

"How can you say that when you stiffen each time I accidently touch you", Erik said softly. He then ran a finger over part of her back to demonstrate. She stiffened again just as expected.

"Cut me some slack, would you react any differently if you had to be on you guard for the last 7 years of your life", she said with a huff.

A long silence expanded between them.

"Sorry madam but you need to also as you put it 'cut me some slack' because you are the first person I have talked to in the last three years", Erik said softly.

Silence filled the room again and Chloe gave him a nod of agreement.

Soon the back of her dress was laced and Erik went to pull her chair out. Chloe nodded her thanks before taking the chair.

Erik took a seat opposite to her and began to dig in. After half a sandwich later Erik spared a glance at his company.

She had not touched her plate.

Their eyes met and Erik gave her a lifted brow. Chloe gave him a shrug in return. Erik raised his other brow. Chloe sighed.

"I can't eat when I have things on my mind", she finally admitted. Erik's brow twerked at the new bit of information.

"What is on your mind", He finally asked.

She bit her lip in contemplation before sighing. "I just don't know how I am going to repay you", she said looking at him.

"Don't think about it madam, I wanted to take care of you. Don't ask why, I just do", he replied, he himself still not sure why he had decided to take her in.

"Also, don't call me 'madam'; we are probably about the same age so it does not seem right. Just call me Chloe", she said with a smile.

_Chloe_, Erik repeated in his head. "That is a very pretty name", he replied.

Chloe once again caught Erik's eyes. "Will you do me a favor?" she asked.

Erik contemplated before nodding.

"Will you call me by my name?" she said, her eyes pleading.

Erik tilted his head in confusion, but eventually nodded. "I will but I must ask you a favor in return", he said.

Chloe nodded viciously, her long curls bobbing in the affirmative.

Erik swallowed nervously. "Will you call me by my name?" he asked trying, yet failing, to be nonchalant.

A smile bloomed replacing the inquisitive look Chloe had on her face. "Of course I will, what is your name?" she asked.

"Erik", he replied softly.

Chloe stuck out her hand, which was not broken, with a smile. Erik involuntarily flinched. Silenced seized the moment between them. Slowly he reached his hand to her, taking her small hand in his.

"Hello Erik it is nice to meet you", she said shaking his hand. Erik smiled involuntarily. His name sounded so nice coming from her, especially since she had said it so sincerely.

He was soon brought back to himself when Chloe raised her eyebrows at him expectantly.

"Oh-uh it's nice to meet you too Chloe", Erik stuttered. Chloe released his hand sent up a quick prayer before digging into the innocent sandwich with fervor.

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Read and Review. The gag chapter will be out tomorrow.


	10. Red-Headed Wrath

**This is a Gag chapter; this means it is not connected to the actual story. The actual story will continue in chapter 12.**

I do not own Phantom of the Opera

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**Chloe**

"Chloe you must try this on! You will look absolutely stunning"!

I turned to see the source of the noise, Carlotta holding up a deep purple bundle of silks.

My nose almost physically turned up in disgust. "Carlotta I already told you I am looking for something simple", I replied haughtily. This had been the fifth time we had, had this conversation.

Carlotta let out an exasperated sigh. "Chloe you are so stubborn. If I let you would go out in nothing but a scrap of muslin", she exclaimed giving a light stamp of her foot.

"Carlotta why don't you wear the darn thing", I said at last. "You would look much better in it anyway", I mumbled to myself.

Carlotta turned to the mirror next to her, holding up the dress to herself. "You know Chloe I think I will do just that", she declared. She then turned to the poor seamstress, who had been waiting on us for the last 3 hours, giving her the bundle with directions to wrap it and the mask that came with it.

The couch I was sitting in compressed as Carlotta joined me. "Chloe, please get something pretty for yourself", Carlotta pleaded.

I looked her dead in the eye before replying, "No". She then huffed having clearly not liked my answer. "Fine then if you don't want help capturing the Phantom's heart I won't waste my time offering", she said grudgingly crossing her arms.

I almost fell of the couch.

"Wh-what makes you think I want to impress that creep", I stuttered indignantly.

"I don't know it might have something to do with the fact that your face is as red as your hair", Carlotta replied with a smug look. I snuck a quick peek in the mirror to find that my face was a delightful cherry red.

I looked back to Carlotta, a devious look on my face. "You know Carlo darling I might just be coming down with a fever", I breathed putting my hand to my head dramatically.

Carlotta's eyes widened in surprise before narrowing in anger. "Carlo", she demanded her hands once again crossed over her chest.

"Yes, I think it is a nice nick name", I replied.

"Oh you had better not think so", she warned as she stood to tower over me.

I swallowed lightly. "What's wrong Carlo? Got you panties in a twist", I teased nonchalantly. That apparently was the wrong response.

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**Darla **

'Dear lord why won't these people leave already', I thought as I packed the mask that La Carlotta had requested in with her dress. 'They have been here for 3 and a half hours', I huffed. Truly how long does it take to buy just one dress', I inwardly raged.

"Darla are you still wrapping that dress", my mother asked from the back room.

"No Maman. I am returning to go and help the ladies with the rest of their shopping", I replied as I hurriedly tied the package.

"Well jump to it! I don't want that Diva to break down in hysterics again. You do remember what happened when she was here three months ago? I don't want a repeat to occur", she chided.

I shuddered at the thought, never in my life had I seen a woman barrel throw a manikin like La Carlotta. I soon found myself at the door to the dressing room I had left the two ladies in. A crash sounded within the chamber.

'Oh lord not again', I thought opening the door to see La Carlotta standing over the red headed girl that she had brought with her, who seemed to be the subject of her wrath.

I let out a sigh of relief as I shut the door, happy that all of the manikins were where they should be. Another crash came through the door.

A tinge of pity went through my breast for the poor woman that was with La Carlotta. I shrugged it off. She did kind of deserve it since she had decided to come with that devil woman of her own free will.

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**Chloe**

I found myself in Carlotta's room, in the deep blue dress that she had chosen for me. It was indeed a very beautiful dress, fitted around my waist and legs. It fanned out at my feet in a mixture of blues purple and greens much like a fish tail.

Well I guess that is the point since Carlotta decided that I should go as a mermaid. It was a good thing I finally gave in to her otherwise I probably would not have been able to walk out of that dress store. I shuddered just thinking about it.

"Madam will you please stop fidgeting. It makes it hard to fix your hair", Carlotta's chamber maid said with a huff. I would have said sorry but another maid was at the moment putting lipstick on me.

Soon all of the preparations were made and Carlotta and I were making our entrance into the ball.

All conversation stopped as heads turned to look at us. Well at Carlotta. She was absolutely stunning in the rich purple ball gown and matching mask, which extended up from her eyes into her hair much like a crown. She had decided to come as a queen and she suited the role well.

We both descended the stairs with as much grace as we both could muster. As soon as our feet hit the dance floor conversation resumed again.

I turned to Carlotta hoping to ask if she had heard from the Phantom at all but before I could a tap came at my shoulder.

I turned to see a tall gentle man with caramel hair and dark brown eyes looking down at me. His suit was made of deep blue material and a net was laid gracefully over his shoulder. His mask was simply black and only covered half of his face from chin to forehead.

"My dear it seems that I have made a catch early, would you care to dance", he asked silkily taking my hand and kissing it.

I looked at Carlotta rolling my eyes. She managed to cover her chuckle with a light cough.

"I am sorry", said taking my hand from his," but I promised my friend here-". "Actually Chloe Carlo needs to be somewhere right now, but have fun", Carlotta interrupted with a devilish smile. She then turned walking deeper into the crowd.

My jaw almost fell off. 'Really she is still holding a grudge', I thought half amazed. 'I swear Carlotta as soon as this party is over I am going to dye both of you dogs the ugliest green color I can find', I thought viciously with determination.

"Madam since you are free would you please consider a dance with me", the man asked yet again.

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End. Just kidding. Remember my dear readers how I said this would be special? Well here is the surprise.

Drum roll please.

…

I am going to write a part two of this tomorrow!

Yay! Please don't clap for me you are all too kind =D LOL

Read and Review.


	11. To the Rescue

**This is a Gag chapter, meaning that it is not connected to the actual story. The actual story will be continued in chapter 12.**

I don't own the Phantom of the Opera

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**Chloe**

I had so far danced with a fisherman, a pirate, and a shark that kept stepping on my feet and trying to grope me. I had downed three glasses of the punch that made the world swirl, and Erik had so far failed to show up.

Yet again there was a tap on my shoulder. "Madam would you care for this dance", asked knight, shinning armor and all.

I raised an eyebrow at the cocky smile he was giving me. "Sorry sure but I am actually waiting for someone", I said turning to walk away. Or at least I tried to but in truth I ended up teetering dangerously on the high heels that Carlotta had forced me into.

My thoughts went dark as I thought of the red head. She had just left me to face all of these lecherous men by myself. Once again I found myself swearing to shave her dogs as soon as we got done with this party.

A hand gripped my shoulder and I felt a vein bulge on my forehead. "Madam you can barely stand. Please why don't you come with me to my carriage? I will take you home unless there is somewhere else you would like to go", he reasoned.

My eyes narrowed in suspicion. I was still sober enough to pick up on the not so subtle hint the perverted knight was giving me.

"No sir I think not", I replied tersely, trying to shrug off his hand.

His gloved hand tightened around me. "Madam you are clearly not thinking straight", he replied silkily.

My face scrunched in displeasure. The knight to another step closer to me, his eyes already gloating at me as if I had already agreed to go with him. 'He _clearly _wanted to get my size seven heel right up his-.

"I suggest you let go of her and escort yourself out of the Opera house", a voice sounded menacingly from behind me.

The knight's eyes widened as his grip loosened on me. Another arm wrapped around my waist from behind, pulling me into the chest of the person behind me.

The sound of metal clinking together reverberated throughout the ballroom as the Knight took off running full speed for the exit, taking out a Sugar Plum Prince on his way.

"You know I think you over did it a bit", I murmured leaning into the man's chest. "Also, Erik, you're late", I accused.

I felt him chuckle lowly. "I am sorry I took forever to find shoes to match my outfit and then I couldn't do a thing with my hair", he mocked in a high pitch voice.

We both laughed lightly. "You know Erik you should be careful. There are a lot of women her tonight and you would be sadly out number in a fight", I jokingly chided, pulling myself from his grasp and turning to face him.

He was wearing is usual ensemble with the exception of a dark blue mask that had light purple and green fish decorating it here and there.

"Nice mask", I remarked suddenly finding the purple ribbon that Carlotta had braided into my hair to be extremely interesting.

"Th- thanks, you look beautiful tonight", Erik stuttered as he looked me up and down from the corner of his eye. A blush rose up my cheeks and I found myself grateful for the ridiculous mask that covered most of it.

"Madam would you care to dance", someone questioned from behind me. I looked to Erik to see his eyes narrowed into slits.

"Ne-never mind I can see you came with a date", the voiced sounded again.

I smiled lightly at Erik. It was so nice having a scary friend to ward off potential perverts. Erik raised a quizzical brow at me.

"Erik let's get out of here", I said extending my arm towards him. His eyes widened in surprise as his brows creased in confusion. "Chloe I thought you wanted to spend time away from me and have fun", Erik replied perplexed.

I sighed linking my arm with his. "Well society was not nearly as enjoyable as spending time with you", I answered truthfully with a shrug.

A blushed rose to Erik's cheeks as he turned to hug me. "Thank you Chloe", he said in a heartfelt whisper. I chuckled awkwardly.

"Erik you don't have to thank me for wanting to spend time with you. You my best friend", I whispered to him trying to ignore the weird looks we were currently receiving.

Erik finally released me giving me a bright smile. It warmed my heart to see him give me a genuine smile and not one of the smart ass smirks that usually graced his lips.

"Let's go ", he exulted as he began to drag me in the direction of his lair. I of course in my slightly drunken state couldn't keep up with him and began to stumble.

Erik stopped before lifting me into his arms and continued on his way, ignoring the shocked gasps that emanated from the crowded ballroom.

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Read and review. I will post a regular chapter again this Sunday ^^


	12. Are You Afraid

I do not own the Phantom of the Opera.

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**Chloe**

It had been three weeks since I had come to this place. Erik had said that it would take another three months for my left arm to heal completely.

I looked at my bum arm, letting out an exasperated sigh. It's not like it was bad living here, in contrast it was more like what I imagined heaven to be. Yet at times it became boring here, stuck inside this cave.

Thankfully Erik had given me drawing materials about a week ago when I had shown interest in the drawings that he had done that morning. Since then I have spent most of my time in the garden that I had found my first day under Erik's care.

The sounds of beautiful music brought me out of my inner monologue. My eyes turned from the canvas I was working on to fix on the entrance of the garden. Low mournful notes swelled out of the yawning corridor. _It sounds so sad, _I thought laying down my charcoal.

I turned my attention back to my canvas. It was a portrait of Erik without his mask. It was beautiful, he was beautiful. I marveled at his handsome visage in wonder.

_Why does he wear a mask all the time with a face like that? _I wondered idly as I took the canvas off the easel I had been given, and leaned it against the wall of the gazebo I was sitting in.

I cast one last look at the picture before exiting the gazebo to go sit by the creek that ran from the lake through the garden. I took up my usual spot under a tree next to the babbling brook.

I sat leaning against the trunk of the tree before resuming my earlier thoughts. _Why would Erik wear a mask that only covered half of his face? It would not make sense to do so if he was trying to hide his identity._

_Maybe he had some identifying birthmark or scar that he is trying to hide. But what is he hiding from? Maybe he is some sort of outlaw, _I mused.

My eyes glazed over as I thought back to the times before bed when my mother would read me and my sisters roguish tales of gun-slinging American cowboys. For years it had been my favorite time of the day.

The image of Erik in boots and spurs swiftly dissolved my reverie. I snorted shaking my head at the ridiculous image.

A shadow fell over me, making me tense instinctively before I looked up to see Erik towering over me. His eyebrows were knitted together in what I assumed to be frustration.

"Sorry to have frightened you Chloe", he said darkly before taking a seat next to me.

"You did not frighten me so don't worry", I replied casually, as I tried to get my muscles to relax.

Erik turned his gaze on me, giving me a hard look. His eyes eventually settled on my lap were they stayed fixed. I followed his gaze to see that my right hand had clasped my dress. My knuckles were white due to the amount force I was exerting on the poor material.

I immediately released my dress from my death grip, smoothing the dark blue material. I cautiously looked at Erik.

He was sitting criss-cross-applesauce with his cloak spread out around his shoulders. His gaze was fixed on the brook before us. His teal eyes were hard and his mouth was parted into a scowl.

He did this every time he startled me and every time I explained to him that living on the streets for so long had made me skittish. Yet he always took it as I personally.

My brows knitted in frustration before I cast another glance at my scowling companion. I sighed. _Erik looked so sad._

I might not have known Erik long but he had helped me, he had been patient with me, and he seemed to genuinely care for me. So of course seeing him sad only made my heart ache.

Even though I did not understand what I had done to hurt him I still wanted to make him feel better.

I comfortingly placed my good hand on the back of his.

His head jerked back before his eyes snapped to our hands. His gaze flicked to my face in confusion.

"Ho- how can you bare to touch me if my mere shadow struck you with fear?" he questioned baffled. I looked at his mask covered face, smiling softly.

"Erik you don't scare me" I said softly. His eyes narrowed at me distrustfully. "Oh yes because your previous reaction-". I gave his hand a light squeeze successfully shutting him up.

I took advantage of his stunned state. "Erik, surprises scare me. When you have to scrape by every day just to be able to get up the next morning to do it all over again; surprises can be the difference between life and death", I said with a shrug.

Erik's eyes softened as he shifted his hand underneath mine so that we were holding hands. My stomach quivered, my heart tripping to catch up with my pulse.

He must have felt the same, because his eyes kept darting to mine as if seeking approval. I squeezed his hand causing mirth to sink into his gaze.

_Stop this Chloe! This man possesses wealth and most likely station he would not want a thing to do with a lowly street rat like you. _My mind mocked.

_You don't know that,_ I argued back vehemently.

_Just think you pathetic girl, you would have had more than enough wealth and station to be a suitable match for him if you had not run away from home, _it taunted.

_Stop it Chloe! Arguing with yourself is the first sign of going crazy and you don't want to end up like you Aunt Gretta, _I mentally scolded.

I disentangled myself from my thoughts to glance at Erik. He was staring at me. Our glances ricocheted off of each other, forcing us to look away.

The grandfather clock in the lair tolled 7, breaking the silence.

Erik cleared his throat causing me to look at him. "Chloe why don't we head in for dinner?" he asked reluctantly taking his hand from mine.

I nodded and he stood to offering me his hand. I smiled taking it. "Maybe you will let me help you this time so that I will no longer feel like a bum", I blatantly hinted.

He chuckled. "Oh yes because you will be so much help", he pointed out as he stared at my wrapped arm.

I put my good hand on my hip. "And how am I supposed to pay you back if you keep refusing my help?" I demanded. Erik sighed looking at the ceiling as if asking some unknown deity for strength.

"Chloe we have been through this before. You don't owe me anything", he stated, his gaze returning to me.

I pressed my lips together in frustration before an idea popped into my head. Erik had told me that we were below an opera house and there were plenty of things that had to be done in order to put on an opera.

Therefore there would be many jobs that had to be filled, which meant that there had to be one job that I could do even with this bum arm.

My chest filled with excitement at the prospect of having money to earn my keep with. _This is perfect! I will have to go above the next time Erik goes out so that it can be a surprise._

An arm hooked me from behind my knees making me fall backwards. Another arm caught me around my back, lifting me into the air.

_Di- did Erik just pick me up? _I thought frantically.I turned to see Erik peering at me from behind his mask. I deadpanned. "Why? I am perfectly capable of walking myself into the lair", I asked in an exasperated tone.

Erik lifted a brow at me. "I called your name like five times and you didn't answer so I figured this would be the easiest", he explained as he began to make his way towards the corridor leading to the lair.

"If I don't use my legs I will lose the ability to walk and then I would be completely dependent on you", I muttered dramatically.

Erik stopped walking and his grip on me tightened. My eyes toggled between his face and the hand that was gripping me at my waist before they finally settled on his eyes. They were storming with emotion. "If that were to happen you could stay with me", he said holding my gaze with his own. "You will always have a place with me", he said tenderly before continuing on towards the lair. 

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Read and Review. The gag chapter will be out tomorrow.


	13. The Chase

**This is a Gag chapter, meaning that it is not connected to the actual story. The real story will continue in chapter 14.**

I do not own the Phantom of the Opera.

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"Erik I am bored", Chloe drawled for what felt like the hundredth time that day. Erik felt a vein pop in his temple, but he simply ignored her and continued to tune his violin.

The grandfather clock tolled four times before it resumed its quiet ticking. Chloe narrowed her eyes at Erik's back as he began to drag the bow across the violin strings. _That little- I can't believe he is ignoring me_, she thought vehemently.

An evil smile spread across Chloe's face before she took a deep breath.

"**ERIK! ERIK! ERIK! ERIK! ERIK**!" Chloe yelled. Erik jolted in surprise, his violin squealed as his bow hand jerked down.

Erik whipped around to face Chloe, who was innocently sitting on the floor as if nothing had happened. "For the love of God what is it?" Erik demanded, throwing his violin and bow on the couch next to him.

"I am so bored!" Chloe exclaimed, dragging her palms down her face. Erik placed his hands on his hips. "And what do you want me to do about it?" he asked with a huff.

Chloe stuck out her lip: pouting. "I want you to fix it", she murmured stubbornly. Erik pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration before turning to walk away.

"**ERIK! ERIK! ERIK! ERIK! ERIK**!" Chloe yelled again, but louder.

Erik stopped walking; slowly he turned back to Chloe. His eyes were narrowed angrily, his hands clenched into fists.

Chloe swallowed hard. _Maybe I went too far_, she thought nervously.

Erik took a step forward. Chloe shuffled back.

Erik took another step forward. Chloe shuffled back farther.

Erik took another step. Chloe sprung to her feet taking off at a full sprint. Erik took off after her.

Their feet pounded over the stone floor. Chloe veered into a tunnel desperately trying to get away. She chanced a glance behind her to see Erik closing in on her, a look of determination on his face.

Chloe picked up her speed as an uncontrolled cackle escaped her lips. The tunnel opened up into another lake. The path ended there. _Well this is just great_, she thought_._

Erik launched himself at Chloe. The force of their impact carried them off of the path and out over the lake. They hit the lakes surface, it was cold, and Chloe began to panic.

Erik resurfaced to hear the sound of panicked splashing. "ERIK, I- I can't swim", Chloe struggled to scream as she writhed in the water.

Erik stood up, the water only going up to his thighs. He looked down at Chloe with a raised brow. Chloe stopped squirming to see Erik looking down at her.

Chloe stood awkwardly, a blush spreading up her face. Their eyes met before they both burst into laughter.

Erik had tears in his eyes he was laughing to hard. He finally managed to ask, "So Chloe, are you still bored?"

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Read and Review ^^ Next chapter will be out Sunday.


	14. Oliver

I don't own Phantom of the Opera

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**Chloe**

I think that Erik might have caught on to my scheme. Ever since our talk in the garden we seemed to be attached at the hip. It is not like I minded, but it was counterproductive to my plan.

I sighed, looking up from the book I had been attempting to read. Erik was sitting across from me, looking at some old sheet music. A smile crept up onto my face as I observed Erik bobbing his head back in forth to the music inside his head.

My old music teacher used to do the same thing. He had told me that being able to hear the music that you read was one of the greatest gifts a person could possess. He died shortly but a week after that particular conversation.

Moisture filled my eyes. My old music teacher had been much more like a father to me than my actual father. I shook my head roughly trying to get rid of my thoughts.

"I am going out today; I will most likely be back in time for dinner", Erik said, breaking the silence of the room. My eye darted to the grandfather clock to see that it was barely two.

Erik and I normally ate around 7-ish. A smile spread across my face. _This would be a perfect time to go up above,_ I thought. "Okay, see you then!" I replied trying to keep the excitement out of my voice.

Erik raised his eyebrow at me in suspicion making me bite my lip nervously. "O-kay I guess I will be going then", he said as he began to walk down the corridor leading to the surface. He cast one last look over his shoulder before the dark shadows of the corridor overtook his visage

I sprang from my chair, sprinting to the corridor opening. I strained my ears until I could no longer hear Erik's strides. I spun around, doing a small jig in my excitement. I ran to the table grabbing my sketchbook, not knowing whether or not I would need it. I then took off for the boat, knowing that if I did not go now it would be weeks before I got another chance.

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**Oliver**

I dragged my hands down my face in frustration. Yet another botched piece of art lay on my desk. I looked up to see Monsieur Lapier staring down is nose at me.

He sniffed disdainfully at me before turning his back from me to eye a bookshelf with disgust. "I can tell by the look on your face that you also don't understand the superior design of this piece", he mockingly lamented as he cast one shrewd eye over his shoulder to observe me.

I clenched my jaw to keep from saying anything that could come back to ruin me. I stood from my desk so that he and I were now on the same level. "Monsieur I assure you my intellect is efficient enough to recognize your… talent", I began once again looking down at the "painting" in front of me.

Monsieur Lapier turned towards me yet again. His expression remained blank as if he was used to people singing his praise. "Well I am glad to hear that. For second I thought you were just another one of those ingrates who was not worthy enough to lick my boot" he said with what seemed to be genuine relief.

My nostrils flared. _I am going to hit this egotistical prick, _I though as my grip tightened on the cuff of my jacket. I then stepped around my desk to open the door of my office.

"Thank you once again Monsieur for your time. You will be receiving a letter from my secretary within the next week informing you on whether or not you got the job", I stated as I opened the door for him to leave.

Monsieur Lapier stepped around me and into the hall. "Don't fool yourself Monsieur Naciuer. I think we both know I have the job" he stated before turning down the hall.

I cast a look over my shoulder to the abomination lying on my desk. I half entertained the thought of tossing it into the fireplace, but decided against it.

"Hello, are you Mr. Naciuer?"

I almost jumped out of my jacket, my attention snapped to the beautiful woman standing before me. I had to force myself to say yes. She smiled at me excitedly and I felt a blush start to warm on my ears.

Her features then hardened into a look of determination. "Sir I have come to inquire about a job", she said, looking me square in the eyes. I stepped out of my doorway allowing her into my office. She stepped around me, her long green dress brushing the floor.

"What type of job are you looking for?" I inquired, pulling out her chair for her to sit in.

She bit her lip nervously as she seemed to contemplate her next words. Her eyes then settled on my desk. "Are you in need of an artist", she said as she gestured to the many pictures I had lying on my desk.

I managed to hold in the frustrated sigh that wanted to escape me as I looked at the poorly done pictures on my desk. "Yes, our head artist passed away just last week and we need a poster made for the next showing of _Agrippina_", I replied trying to keep the hopelessness from seeping into my tone.

"I brought my sketchbook, if you would like to look at it", she said brightly as she offered me the large leather bound book that had been lying in her lap.

I took the book in my hands before taking a seat at my desk. I opened it up to see a humming bird perched on the branch of a flowering tree. The colors in the painting were warm and vivid.

I looked up to see the red headed woman nervously fiddling with her hair. I glanced back to the book, turning the page. Fish circling each other in a crystal bowl. I flipped to the next one. A man and a woman dancing in a field of wheat.

I flipped through the book faster and faster. Images of nature, people and buildings flitted before me.

I finally sat the book down and looked at the woman across from me. "Your work is impressive", I stated.

"Thank you", she said quietly, a small blush forming on her cheeks. I swallowed hard before trying to ignore the way she shyly bit her lip. "When would you be willing to start?" I asked.

Her eyes widened and a smile broke over her features. "Do you mean I have the job?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yes, you seem to be more then qualified", I replied.

Her dark eyes seemed to sparkle with happiness. "Well then I can start whenever", she said standing from the chair.

I stood as well sticking out my right hand to seal the deal. Her smile fell as she looked at my hand awkwardly. My smile faltered as the silence drew out.

"Sorry but I broke my left hand about a month ago", she explained as she stuck out her right hand for me to shake.

I took her hand warily. "It does not affect you ability to draw does it?"I asked, my brows knitting.

"No, no not at all. In fact all of the paintings in that book I have done within the last couple of weeks", she explained. My eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Well then I think I have nothing to worry about", I said with a smile. _I sure can't wait to get to know you, _I thought excitedly.

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Read and Review. The gag chapter will be out tomorrow.


	15. Tears, Laughs and Scares

**This is a gag chapter, meaning it is not connected to the actually story. The real story will continue in chapter 16.**

I do not own The Phantom of the Opera

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**Erik**

A loud crash sounded behind me. It was followed by a large cloud of dust that settled on my shoulders and arms.

I turned around to see Chloe with her hands covering her mouth in shock. Her eyes were locked on the box that she had knocked over. Something round was warbling on the ground.

The metallic sound echoed through-out the attic. "What is that?" Chloe asked as she bent to pick the object up.

I held my hand out to take it from her. "Well it looks like a film holder", I remarked as I ran my hands over the container. _The Grudge_ was sprawled across the side. "Maybe there is a projector in here as well", I said as I opened the box next to me.

It took a couple of minutes of looking but we finally found the projector. We set it up decideing that it would be much easier for us watch videos here then to pack it down to the lair.

Chloe found a couch hidden under a sheet that was perfect for the both of us to sit in. She hung up the sheet of on the wall in front of the couch.

"What are you doing?", I asked confused. "Well I figured we would be able to enjoy the films more if the image was not distorted by the brick texture of the wall", she said turning to me.

"What do you have there?" She asked looking at the two film holders in my arms. "I was able to find two more films. _The Notebook _and _The Proposal", _I explained putting the films on the table I had set up next to the projector

I loaded the Note book in.

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**Third person prove**

By the end of the movie Erik had broken down into tears. "They- they loved each other so much", he sobbed.

"Well at least they were able to be with each other in the end", Chloe said handing Erik yet another tissue. He promptly blew his nose before letting out a hiccup.

"Erik let's put in another movie, but not a sad one because we don't have enough tissues to contain your water works", she stated looking at the empty tissue box.

Erik nodded in agreement before getting up to put in _The proposal_ was the movie that went in.

"Wow that man is so-", Chloe was unable to finish her words because Ryan Reynolds had just taken off his shirt.

Drool was now visible trailing from Chloe's mouth. The film suddenly cut to a halt. "Hey! Hey! Hey! What happened?" Chloe demanded as she sprang from the couch.

"Oh funny story it seems that the film was torn I am not sure how it happened", Erik said as innocently as he could muster.

"Damn, I think he was just about to take off his pants", Chloe mourned.

A vein visibly popped in Erik's head. "Language my dear", he chided before putting in the last film.

Chloe and Erik were frozen in terror. They gripped each other for protection, their exclamations' of horror echoed though-out the attic.

They were loud enough that their screams reached the halls and lobbies of the opera house. The maids and ballet dancers scurried around in fear of the "wailing ghosts", as they had become to be known as, for the next month.

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Read and Review. The next chapter will be out Sunday.


	16. Lost

**I do not own the Phantom of the Opera**

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**Chloe**

I tucked a stray curl behind my ear as I walked down the abandoned corridor. Excitement thrummed over me, like a million fiery ants running along the length of my spine. I had to physically restraint myself from skipping down the hall.

Another excited tremor seized my heart, giving it a slight squeeze. I suddenly found my feelings invading my mind, making my head swim. I reached my good hand out to the wall, grasping onto the paneling in order to keep from toppling over.

I leaned my head onto the wall, listening to the creaking of the old wood as it strained to support the weight of my head. _Finally, things are going right for me_, I though with glee. I finally managed to push myself off of the wall. I took a deep breath before surveying my surroundings.

I was so excited that I had not paid attention to where I was going and now was in a part of the opera house I had never been in before. I looked back down the way I had come, or at least the way I thought I had come. _Damn, _I thought. I spent so much time leaning on the wall I had become disoriented.

_You fucking idiot, _I cursed. A light smile charmed its way onto my lips. _Language,_ I could practically hear Erik saying. The smile soon fell from my face as I spun around and around in the hall, desperately trying to sense which direction was the right one.

Drunken laughter coursed up through the halls, like a discombobulated caterpillar. I pressed my back into the wall hoping that my thin frame would suck into the old wooden paneling. I was all too aware of the horrible rumors that circled around the rowdy men that worked the theater. Eventually three wobbling frames came into view at the end of the hall.

The first two warbled past the end of the hall without noticing me. The last one tripped over his feet, stumbling into the hall I now resided in. He spun once before slamming his face against the wall.

A tremor vibrated up the wall that I lay on. It sent my sense trembling and my heart jabbering. My eyes stretched into a silent scream. The man soon peeled his face off the wall.

Blood oozed from a cut above his eyebrow as he stumbled back away from the wall. The two other men appeared behind him in the hall. They pointed and laughed at their bleeding companion. They swung their arms wide in their laughing fit, their bottles sloshing back and forth, spilling their contents on the plush red carpets.

One man looked up, his blurry eyes locking on mine. His gaze slithered down the length of my body, making me feel like I was naked. The man who spotted me haphazardly jabbed his elbow into the chest of the man next to him.

Soon all three men had spotted me. A current of whistles and catcalls withered its way down the hall. They began to stumble towards me like a bobbling disjointed wave of bodies. I couldn't make myself move.

It seemed as if my body had fused to the wall and that I had become as mindless as the wood that was I sealed to. _Move your ass_, I screamed in my head. I could have cried from relief once my feet began to work.

A concord of disappointed sounds bubbled up from behind me as I began to run down the hall. I cast nippy, gasping glances back to the men behind me.

There were only two behind me now. _Where the hell is the other one?_ I thought as the men behind me picked up their pace.

_Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. _ I chanted in rhythm with the swishing of my dress.

I turned a corner to be greeted by arms swinging towards me.

"Now, where do you think you are going girlie?" questioned the man in front of me. I back pedaled violently only to have arms secure me from behind.

"She is a pretty little thing don't you think?" asked the man that had me.

I thrashed as hard as I could, making the man holding me grunt with displeasure. "Frisky little thing, isn't she?" asked the third man. "Yeah she is", drawled the man standing before me.

"Why don't we put that energy to good use?" he continued taking a step towards me. All three men began to laugh in agreement.

The man before me took another step closer to me. _Try this on for size you fucker_, I thought vehemently before swinging my leg up violently. It made contact with his chin.

He stumbled backwards violently. All three men exploded into a cacophony of curses and yelling. The man holding me began to squeeze and thrash me.

Burning trouncing torrents zipped up my arm. It was like a countless number of jagged fingers had jammed into my left arm. A scream tore its way out of me, scraping its way out of my throat.

"Oh, what do we have here? It looks like this little birdie had a broken wing" the man I had kicked said with a sneer. "Hey Ed, why don't you give that little bitch another squeeze for kicking me?" the man before me suggested.

"I would Lance, but we wouldn't want the little lady squealing again now would we", Ed said.

Lance took another step towards me, grabbing my chin. "Now, now dear don't cry, dear old uncle Lance is gonna make you feel real good", he said grasping the hem of my dress. "Now don't squirm too much or Old Ed there is going to rough your arm up again", he threatened as his hands dragged up my thighs, taking my dress with it.

"Hey Lance, I gotta rope, I am sure we can find some use for it", the third man said from behind me. "That's great Terry. Hurry get her hands", Lance commanded as he groped at me.

Tears began to form in my eyes. I looked down the hall for help, but it was empty save for one lonely curtain that hug down the length of the wall.

I felt my hands being tied behind me. Lance took a step back from me as he began to undo his pants.

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Muhahahahahahahahahahaha! I am cruel, no? Read and Review. The gag chapter will be out tomorrow.


	17. Comic Relief

**This is a gag chapter. This means that it is not in any way connected to the actual story. The real story will continue in chapter 18.**

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**Third Person Prov**

Sunlight poured into the carriage window. A gloved hand clasped the curtains, gently shutting out the light. The owner of the hand then adjusted the woman sitting in his lap. A small smile formed on his face as he listened to the light snores of his companion.

Three sharp knocks resounded through-out the carriage, signaling that they had arrived at their destination. The carriage shuddered to a stop.

Erik pushed a stray lock of Chloe's hair out of her face. "Chloe we are here. Wake up", Erik commanded, gently shaking her. Chloe's face scrunched in protest and she began to squirm in Erik's lap.

Erik's head slammed against the back of his seat. _Dear Lord if she does not stop squirming, _he thought as all the blood rushed to his head.

"Why did you wake me up", Chloe moaned, looking up at Erik with hooded eyes. Erik swallowed hard before telling her they had come to their destination. Chloe's eyes lit up as all thoughts of sleep fled her mind. She twisted out of Erik's lap to kneel on all fours on the seat next to him. Her hand swiped the curtains open to look out the window.

Erik's hands dug into the seat as he tried to compose himself. Chloe turned to him abruptly before she clasped onto his shoulder and began to bounce up in down in her seat excitedly. Erik's eyes widened. _Her neckline is so low. How do they not pop out? _Erik questioned mystified.

A hand waved frantically in front of his face. "Erik, are you okay? You seem distracted", Chloe asked concern evident in her voice. Erik cleared his throat. "Why don't you go and get changed? I will meet you in a little bit", Erik said weakly, in an attempt to change the subject.

"Okay", Chloe agreed with a smile. She turned to open the door but stopped abruptly giving Erik a double take. She then turned leaning in closer to him. Erik's eyes widened to saucers as she leaned closer.

Erik fidgeted; they were only inches apart. Her hand reached up gently grasping the side of his face, and she leaned closer, closing her eyes. Erik's eyes fluttered shut as their cheeks brushed against each other.

Erik felt his mask shift. "Your mask was crooked", Chloe whispered in his ear. She then turned, flinging the carriage door open. "See you in a bit", she said over her shoulder as she walked out into the sun.

The door shut leaving Erik in darkness. He slumped in his seat, letting out a breathy torrent of curses.

Once Erik had composed himself he exited the carriage. The sun warmly caressed his dark form. _How she convinced me to come here is beyond me, _Erik thought as he surveyed his private beach.

"Sir, where would you like these to go?" Erik looked up at the man he had hired as a coach. "Over there", Erik indicated with his hand. The lanky blonde man scrambled to the area Erik had pointed to and proceeded to set up the chairs and blanket he had in his hands.

The man abruptly stopped, his mouth hanging open. Erik followed his gaze to see Chloe walking up the beach almost completely naked. _Is that a swim suit? That flimsy piece of material does not look like it would even be suitable for under garments, _Erik thought incredulously.

Erik could not restrain his wandering eyes. Chloe finally got close enough that Erik could see the well defined blush that covered her face. _So… so cute_, Erik thought as he began to make his way towards her.

"Miss you look absolutely lovely", the blond lanky man complimented, taking Chloe's hand into his own. "Th- thank you mister…" Chloe replied turning towards the man. "Just call me Jeremy Miss", Jeremy said as he winked one blue eye at her.

Erik felt his blood congeal. He swiftly approached the two, putting a possessive arm around Chloe. Everything about him practically screamed, _**this woman is mine and I will cut you up into little pieces and feed you to my gold fish if you even look at her for too long**__._

Jeremy seemed to pick up on the message because he paled before muttering something about tending to the carriage. He then took off at a dead sprint.

"Was it something I said", Chloe asked confused.

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Special shout out to my friend Adam who helped put this chapter together. Read and Review.


	18. Reader, I am Sorry

**I do not own the Phantom of the Opera.**

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**Gabriel**

"So yer gettin all these here supplies for the little miss that's stayin with ya", I drawled handing Erik the box of paints I had taken from my carriage.

Erik gave me a sharp nod before turning back to the hidden door he had emerged from. He then turned gesturing for me to follow him.

I let out sigh before grabbing the last box from the carriage and following him. Chloe, my horse, whinnied in distress and began to pull at the pole I had tied her to.

"Yer okay my pretty girl, but I need ya ta stay here and guard the cart for me", I said giving the horse a pleading look.

Chloe snorted at me in a grudging agreement before going on the alert. I chuckled lightly at Chloe's antics before I went through the door Erik had passed through moments ago.

"What was taking you so long", Erik demanded as soon as I had shut the door with my foot. "Sorry yer highness, but I had to make sure my lady was gonna be okay", I remarked with a smirk.

My eyes widened in shock. _Di- did Erik just stick his tongue out at me? _I thought in disbelief. Erik then turned abruptly and walked away, making me jog to catch up to him.

"Jesus Erik, I give props to the little lady who finally managed to pull yer head out of yer ass", I exulted, finally catching up to him in the dark corridor. Erik sent me a withering glance over his shoulder.

I simply chuckled earning me yet another glare. "We've been friends fer too long, buddy. That phantom shit don't work on me no more", I gloated. Erik abruptly stopped walking before turning on me. "Do you kiss your mother with that filthy mug?" He demanded.

"My mother and many others boy. Why do ya ask?" I teased. I could almost feel him rolling his eyes at me, but it was hard to tell in the dark corridor. We then continued walking.

An evil smile flicked over my person as I picked up my pace, so that I was only a couple of inches behind Erik. "Ya feelin left out over there, cuz I would definitely chance being gay for ya", I said breathlessly to add to the overall creepiness of my statement.

Erik didn't even jump. "Gabriel, you disgusting little man, we have been friends for far too long for your evident homosexual lust for me to creep me out anymore", he stated flatly.

I stuck my bottom lip out begrudgingly. "But the expression you always gave me was priceless. What am I gonna do now fer entertainment?" I whined. "That an were ya gettin off callin me little?! I'am a full 5 inches taller than ya an I'am 6 years older", I said in exasperation.

"You know, I can't understand you through your accent", Erik replied, not even acknowledging my evident distress. "What's wrong there partner? Can't handle my drawl?" I asked.

Erik turned to give me what would have most likely be a sarcastic reply, but a scream tore through the corridor cutting both of us off.

Erik and I stopped before locking eyes. The boxes we carried hit the ground forgotten. We flung through the corridor in full out rescue mode.

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**Chloe**

There was not a damn thing I could do. Lance had pushed me onto the floor and up against the wall. It was just me and him. The others had gone to either side of the hall keeping watch.

"My dear, my dear how absolutely ravishing you look sitting there", he whispered kneeling before me. I clenched my legs together tighter, willing myself to be sucked into the wall.

He placed his hands on my knees forcing them apart. He scooted forward so that his body was keeping my legs spread for him. He slammed both hands on either side of my head, completely caging me with his body.

"This is not the end. I like you way too much for that. I will take you with me after we are done here", he whispered to me huskily.

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**Third person **

The curtain in the hall flickered open allowing two men to rush out. Erik's eyes cast around the hall before they settled on the only other people there.

His face contorted into shock, then disgust. Finally his face mangled into a look of anger so deep that I, as an author, am unable to faithfully portray it. I could tell that his eyes had become slits, his nostrils had flared and that his mouth had opened into a snarl, but that is merely what physically happened.

His mind contorted into hell. He imagined ripping this fucking pig of a man apart from his feet up. He imagined shoving his thumbs into this man's eyes so far that they broke through the back of his skull.

His thoughts made no sense, they made complete sense. What he wanted was unclear, yet he knew exactly what he was going to do.

The man was ripped from Chloe and thrown onto the ground. Erik's foot slammed into his chest again and again. The man began to cough up blood, as he desperately clawed at the ground around him, trying to get away, but it was no use. He was going to die.

Lance did not want to die, he was scared, so fucking scared. Tears streamed down his face. And there was so much fucking pain.

He did not want to die, he was barely nineteen. He wanted his mom; he wanted to tell her that he was sorry he had ran away; he wanted to tell her he was sorry for the way he had turned out to be; he wanted to be forgiven; he wanted to tell her that he loved her.

He tried to call out for her, but it just came out as a bloody gurgle.

Blood splattered up Erik's pant leg as he smashed his foot into Lance's chest again and again.

Erik could no longer see what he was doing, but he could feel bones crunching beneath his foot and he could hear bloody screams gurgling from the man.

I am sorry reader, but I can't describe to you anything more. I had to look away as soon as Lance's chest collapsed in on itself.

It is not so much that I could not handle seeing Lance's blood splattered all over, but I could not handle seeing Erik crying angrily as he killed him.

Even now, as I am looking away, I still can hear Erik's angry sobbing, and the crunching of bones.

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…


	19. More Comic Relief, God Knows We Need It

**This is a gag chapter, meaning it is not actually related to the real story. The actual story will continue in chapter 20. I do not own the Phantom of the Opera**

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**Erik**

"Remind me why you are here again?" I asked for what felt like the millionth time. The man I was addressing peered at me lazily from beneath his cowboy hat.

We stared at each other for what for a while before he shrugged his shoulders. "Are you planning on leaving any time soon?" I asked, my eyebrow twitching in annoyance at Gabriel's indifference.

"Well ya know there Erik, I ain't planning on leavin til the boss kicks me outta here", he said motioning to Chloe with his chin. Chloe sat in the arm chair across the den, completely absorbed into the book I had just recently given her.

I felt my nostrils flare in annoyance. "She is not my boss", I reprimanded harshly rising from the piano bench.

Apparently my outburst had torn Chloe's attention from her book, because she was giving me a look that asked if everything was okay.

I gave her a nod, which earned me a smile. Her eyes then widened as if she had suddenly remembered something. "Erik did you take out the trash like I asked you to?" She questioned.

Gabriel snickered from underneath his hat. I sent him a withering glare that said I was going to have to kill him later. He just chuckled before pulling his hat further down on his head.

Chloe cleared her throat, getting my attention. She simply raised her eyebrow at me questioningly. I lowered my head before mumbling that I would be back.

I turned to go get the tantrum box that we had decided to convert into a trash can. The faint sound of a whip followed my exit. _That settles it I am really going to kill that bastar- guy, _I thought viciously.

…

I returned a little while later to find Chloe sitting in Gabriel's lap. I sat down the tantrum box gently, sensing that I was definitely going to need it here shortly. "Chloe, what are you doing", I asked in a subdued voice.

Chloe looked up at me excitedly. "Oh Erik, I just found out that Gabriel is also reading Twilight", she gushed innocently. "Oh… that's nice", I said quietly. Gabriel offered me a toothy smirk before he wrapped an arm around Chloe's waist.

_I swear Lord I don't ask for much, but if you could please grant me the power to shoot lightening from my eyes I would never again dye La Carlotta's hair blue. Amen. _I stared at Gabriel intently, trying to force the bolts of electricity from my eyes, but nothing happened.

_Damn it._

An idea then flitted through my head, causing an evil smirk to grace my features. "Chloe didn't you just recently draw a picture of Edward and Bella? I am sure that Gabriel would absolutely love to see it", I said as sincerely as I could.

Chloe's features lit like a candle. "Yeah I did! Once sec I will be right back", she exclaimed jumping from Gabriel's lap and heading to her room.

Silence soon overwhelmed the cavern as I stared Gabriel down. He swallowed nervously as he began to stand up. "Wow, look at the time", he said looking down at his bare wrist. "I guess I should probably leave… an never come back…BYE!" He hollered, before he hoofed it out of the den.

The only thing left of him was his cowboy hat that was slowly floating down from the air. Chloe soon reappeared toting her sketchbook. "Where is Gabriel?" She asked looking around the lair.

"He said something about having to shampoo his horse", I said with a smirk. Chloe's face screwed up in confusion. "That's weird", she said after a while.

"Yeah I know, totally not someone you would want to court. Trust me", Erik said with an all knowing smile. Chloe knitted her eyebrows once again confused. "Erik, you weird", she finally said.

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Read and Review please.


	20. Heart's Lullaby

**I do not own The Phantom of the Opera**

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**Erik**

I sat her down softly on my bed. She was trembling. She looked so small and helpless before me. Frustration ebbed off of me in waves. _Why did I just leave her! Look what happened to her because of you- you idiot! _I screamed at myself.

"Erik, please lemme take a look at her", Gabriel spoke gently.

I whipped around putting myself between me and her, giving Gabriel a seething glare. There was no way in hell I was letting him touch her. There was no way in hell I was letting anyone else touch her ever again.

_She is mine_, my heart growled; my mind thoroughly agreeing with it.

"Erik, please you know I've been medically trained", Gabriel spoke again taking a step towards me. I took a step forward with all my intentions set on physically removing him from my home, but a small tug on my sleeve stopped me.

I glanced down to see Chloe's hand had latched onto me. Bitter warmth filled me at the sight. I immediately sat down on the bed next to her, putting my arm around her.

"It's okay you know", Chloe said in a small shaky voice.

Gabriel and I shared a look before I nodded, letting him know he could proceed. Gabriel soon was kneeling on the ground before Chloe and me. He gently took a hold of her broken arm, tenderly feeling up and down its length.

My blood began to boil and it took most of my self-restraint to keep me from throttling him. "It's not as bad as thought it was gonna be. It'll probably be sore for the next couple of days, but it will continue to heal normally", he stated apparently done with his examination.

He then turned to me with a serious look. "Don't ya got laudanum stored around here somewhere?" He asked. I nodded once before heading off to find the syrupy concoction.

After riffling through about five different trunks, and a lot of swearing I finally found it. I walked swiftly back towards my bedroom but slowed to a stop when I started to hear whispering.

"I know this is a touchy question miss, but I gotta know if- if he get inside you", Gabriel stuttered clearly uncomfortable. I flinched at the mere thought, but could only hold my breath for her answer.

A long silence permeated the air, making me more heart-broken by the second. _Why did I have to leave her today? She had been acting funny before I left, but I had just brushed it off. I am such an idiot, it's all my fault,_ I thought dejectedly.

"No, I am still innocent as any other rag doll", she said tonelessly.

My mind quirked at the odd saying but I quickly pushed it aside. It was not important.

Gabriel didn't say anything. I then heard him rise from the floor, his foot-steps echoed as he walked out of my bedroom.

Our eyes met briefly, but his light, colorless eyes were clouded in thought. "Make sure ya don't give her to much of that", he said quietly, clearly not focusing on what was going on. He then brushed past me. His footsteps echoed rapidly before they clattered to a stop.

"Erik", he yelled. I looked at him over my shoulder. His piercingly pale eyes focused intently on me. "Ya better take good care of her, until I get back", he said, narrowing his eyes at me.

I could feel my own eyes widening in shock and my blood bubbling. _When did he begin to care for her- he has no place to care for her; I am the only one who will care for her,_ I thought maliciously.

His footsteps had begun to echo again about halfway through my inner rant. This meant that by the time I had stopped raging Gabriel had already disappeared down one of the yawning corridors.

I brushed Gabriel's odd behavior off. I had known him long enough to know that he could sometimes act weird. I soon found myself kneeling before Chloe, offering her a small sip of the Laudanum, heeding Gabriel's earlier warning. I did not want her to overdose on the stuff.

The sedative properties of the drink swiftly began to take hold of Chloe; her eyes were starting to droop haphazardly. I gently laid her back in the bed getting her as comfortable as possible.

I wanted to take off my shoes and climb in next to her, but she would not want me. She would not want to be close to me or any other man after what happened. _ Besides I was still covered in blood_, I thought softly. I looked at her again to see that she was sound asleep.

That settled it. I walked away with all intentions of throwing these clothes away and scrubbing this filthy mans blood off of me.

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**Erik a bit later**

I had disposed of the clothes and had just settled in the tub. I forced my mind to shut down, trying to just let the water wash away my thoughts.

"**ERIK!"**

My head snapped in the direction of the sound. _Chloe._

I sprung from the tub, water following me onto the floor. I just managed to fling my night shirt over the top of me before I was sprinting across the stone floor towards my bedroom.

"**PLEASE GOD NO! ERIK, HELP ME PLEASE!"**

I slid around the corner of my bedroom entrance before pouncing onto my bed. Chloe was thrashing violently in a nightmare. Her breath was coming out shakily, and tears stained her cheeks.

I swiftly took her into my arms, humming soothingly. "It's okay, it's okay", I repeated over and over.

Soon she had stopped quivering. "Er- Erik", she whispered hoarsely. "Yes, I am here. I will protect you, don't worry anymore", I whispered.

Her head slowly rose from my chest. Her blood shot eyes lingered blearily on my face unseeing, before they abruptly snapped open. "Oh no", she breathed.

Confusion stung my mind.

"Did they hurt you, did they get you?"She asked, panic clear in hear demeanor. My eyes snapped open in shock as she pushed me down on the bed and clambered on top of me.

Her good hand went to my face. "Did they hurt you Erik?"She said, her voice growing smaller as tears swelled in her eyes.

One drop escaped her tear crowded eye, before rolling down her freckled nose and hitting my unmasked face.

_I- I forgot my mask,_ I thought numbly, as realization sunk in. _I was so worried that I carelessly forgot my mask! _My eyes locked on Chloe's, concern was written all over her features.

"No they did not hurt me", said tonelessly. Her brows knitted in what must have been confusion.

"I was born like this", I stated, trying not to think of the horrors that were probably crashing through her mind.

"Oh thank God, I thought you were hurt", she said relieved. My jaw fell open, I could not even process what she had just said.

After a moment of searching for my bearings I finally managed to stutter out, "Aren't you disgusted, or at the very least shocked?"

She looked at me as if I had just asked the stupidest question she had ever heard. "No, why would I feel that?" She asked genuinely curious. I couldn't speak, instead all I did was put my hand on top of hers and put it to my marred face.

Her brows quirked rapidly before up and down, they eventually relaxed in enlightenment. "My mother was born with a face that was damage beyond recognition. My older brother: Douglas inherited the same trait. I loved my mother and my brother just as much as I loved rest of my family", she said squeezing my hand, as if she was also referring to me.

"Your face can't take anything away from the beauty of your heart", she continued, taking her hand from my face and putting it on my chest. "Your heart is what I truly love about you. Your are so kind and brave and compassionate. You took me in, you have cared for me. I haven't felt this loved since my mother and brother died. Erik you are my best friend, you are my everything", she said tenderly.

Her head soon replaced her hand. "You know, I can hear it in there, beating as strong as any other heart", she mumbled. Her eyes soon found mine and began to droop again. "Stay with me, let your heart sing me a lullaby", she pleaded softly.

I could not speak let alone say no, not that I wanted to.

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Read and Review. I have a surprise for all of you tomorrow in honor of my 20th chapter.


	21. Apron

**This is a gag chapter. This means it is not actually connected to the real the story. The real story will continue in chapter 22. Enjoy.**

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**Chloe**

"Erik!" I yelled as I walked into the lair.

"Just a second!" he yelled back.

Moments later Erik's head popped out of the kitchen entrance. "You're just in time. I was just getting ready to make lunch", he said with a smile.

My eyebrows quirked guiltily; he must have noticed, because he fully emerged from the kitchen and began to walk towards me. "Is there something the matter", he asked with concern in his voice.

I couldn't form words.

Seeing Erik in a pink apron had completely taken away my ability to think. It was pink, and not just like pink, it was like **pink**, and it had bows and kittens and lace on it. _Where did he even get that,_ I thought flabbergasted.

"Chloe… Chloe… Chloe, for dear God Chloe will you answer me", Erik demanded waving his hand back in forth in front of my face.

"So- sorry it just you look so….. FABULOUS", I said snappy my fingers in a Z shape. Erik looked down at me in confusion before he looked down at himself. His mouth slowly fell open and a blush started to creep up his masked face.

"I am going to kill Gabriel the next time I see him", he murmured fiercely. I patted both of his shoulders. "It's fine Erik, besides I think you look cute", I whispered softly before kissing his cheek.

I pulled away slowly, but his arms stopped me. His scent engulfed me; his touch was warm and caring. The grandfather clock stuck two. _Damn, time to go,_ I thought.

"Erik I got to go", I said trying to keep the regret out of my tone. Slowly he opened his arms and let me step back.

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**Third Person**

"Where are you going?" Erik asked confused. Chloe smiled heartily before answering, "Me and Oliver are going out for lunch".

"Hey y'all! How ya doin?" Gabriel called from the entrance of one of the corridors. Chloe giggled softly before muttering something about how she should leave before they started fighting.

"Where ya going little miss", Gabriel asked before pulling Chloe in a hug. Chloe laughed before returning the hug.

"Jeez what is it with you two and hugs?" She asked before disentangling herself from him and running down the corridor that Gabriel had just come from.

Gabriel's gaze lingered on Chloe's retreating form, before Erik's fist demanded his full attention. Gabriel went staggering before he caught himself on a chair.

"What the Hell d'ya do that for?" Gabriel demanded as he righted himself. "One: you are waaaay too affectionate with Chloe", Erik said shoving him back.

"Two: you replaced my regular apron with distasteful pink contraption", Erik accused, blocking Gabriel's oncoming punch with his forearm.

"And three: language", he finished, kicking Gabriel's legs out from under him. Erik was immediately upon the poor wretch, securing his arm above his head.

"Well Erik, seems ta me like you've caught me red handed on all three charges. So whadda gonna do about it boy?" Gabriel demanded with narrowed eyes.

"Well you are lucky that we are friends or otherwise I would probably kill you", Erik stated matter-o-factly. Gabriel rolled his pale eyes in response. Erik ignored the rude gesture as wheels began to turn in his head.

"Listen you fool. Chloe is going out to lunch with the opera house owner: Oliver. I know you have feelings for Chloe, but I am going to look past that, because I am going to need your help with a reconnaissance mission", Erik said, releasing Gabriel's wrists from his iron clad grasp.

Erik then flicked Gabriel on the nose before getting off of him and helping him up. "Fuck yeah! No way in Hell am I gonna let some snot nose brat have Chloe", Gabriel hollered as he fist pumped.

Erik punched him in the arm. "Language", he scolded before walking away to grab his cloak.

"Ummmmm… Hey granny ya may wanna take off you apron fore we head out", Gabriel said trying, but failing, to not laugh. He then took off down the nearest corridor at a dead sprint, chuckling like a maniac.

Erik's face contorted into a look of demonic rage as he yelled after him, "YOU SON OF A BITC-".

"LANGUAGE!" Gabriel interrupted picking up his pace as he noticed that Erik was hot on his tail.

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Hey my faithful readers! So here is the surprise. Drum roll please!

I am going to be updating the regular story tomorrow and this gag chapter is going to have a part two that I will post this next Monday!

Read and Review.


	22. The Little Girl

**I do not own The Phantom of the Opera. Enjoy**

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**Gabriel**

I rode home as fast as I could, pushing poor Chloe as hard as I dare. It took about an hour to get to my cottage and when I got there one of my servants ran out to grab Chloe.

"Take care of her son", I said as I brushed past him and entered my home. "Master what you are doing home so early", my head house keeper asked once she had spotted me.

"Just came home early is all Nina", I replied yanking my boots off. The small plump woman simply nodded before heading in the direction of the kitchen.

"I will have Chef start on dinner then", she called over her shoulder as she opened the kitchen door. "Oh Nina, could you please bring my dinner into my den tonight?" I requested as pulled of my jacket.

She nodded at me before entering the kitchen. I swiftly ascended the stairs that led to my den, almost tripping on the top step. I soon found myself locking the den door before I settled into the chair at my desk.

I sighed, rubbing my hands through my hair causing my hat to fall off. My eyes settled on the only thing on my desk: a crude hand drawn picture of a horse set in a small worn frame. The artist that had given the picture to me was the daughter of a wealthy former employer in America.

I remember the first time I had met her. I closed my eyes as I memories started to consume my thoughts.

I had just arrived at the manor of Charles Foster: my new employer. It was not like I really had needed the money at the time since both my parents were from wealthy families, but my father had decided that if I was going to be successful in the future I was going to need to establish a work ethic.

Thus, my father had secured me a job as a stage hand with one of his business partners. I recall I had wondering the grounds of the manor for the majority of the first day I was there since Mr. Foster had wanted me to get settled before I started working.

I had wandered the gardens for a good three hours before the sound of whimpering had caught my attention. I ended up following the noise to a small dogwood tree hidden behind some large bushes. There had been a small girl dressed all in black nestled underneath the tree.

Even though I was the eldest in a wealthy family I had been brought up to be kind and compassionate. So the sight of the girl who was probably only six, weeping, had pulled at my heart strings.

"Are you ya okay?" I had asked her. The girls head had snapped up and her tear filled eyes had focused on me. She had then immediately latched onto me; her powerful sobs had shaken her entire being.

I, only being 12 at the time, had not known how to react. I remember feeling awkward before I finally settled on just lightly patting her head.

I later had found out that the girl's name was Chloe and that she was Mr. Foster's daughter. Apparently both her mother and her brother had been found murdered the previous week in her family's summer home.

I remember feeling so sorry for the poor little girl. It had soon became apparent to me that Mr. Foster was a cruel man that took little interest in Chloe, so me and her spent most of my free time together.

We would talk or play and every once in a while Chloe would draw a picture for me. We had spent many years like this and during that time Chloe had blossomed into a beautiful young girl.

Unfortunately all good things have to come to an end. It was shortly after Chloe's eleventh birthday that I noticed that she was acting strangely. Her father would keep her in his office for hours and she would always come out looking like he had sucked the life out of her.

This went on for a couple weeks before all the servants began to whisper about what Mr. Foster was doing to Chloe. I remember the night before we had decided to run away together I had asked her if what the servants were saying was true.

She had looked at me with those large dark eyes and replied "I am as innocent as any other rag doll". I had been confused by her response and asked her to explain.

She simply told me that a rag doll is played with whether it likes it or not and that it did not mean that the next owner of the rag doll would love it any less for having already been played with.

I had told her that it must be true because I still loved her just the same. I had been determined to save Chloe and I had been more than willing to drop everything and escape with her.

That night Chloe and I had snuck onto a boat heading for France. Everything went smoothly until we were a day away from making port. A horrible storm had taken hold of the ship. Chloe had been washed over board and two men had kept me from diving in after her.

I arrived in France and for a while I had just milled around aimlessly, since the reason for my going to France had been cruelly snatched away. Fortunately for me I had run into Erik one night when I tried to take shelter in the opera house.

I probably should have died that night, but for some reason Erik decided to let me live as long as I would run errands for him. I am not sure why he didn't kill me. Maybe he was just tired of being alone too.

So I ran errands for him. At first I had started out by just stealing what he wanted. Then I started trading some of the things I had stolen for money. Then I hooked up with a supplier with the money I had earned.

Eventually I ended up with a thriving trading firm and set up a store in the central part of Paris called _You Name it We Trade It._

Never once in this time did I hear or see anything of the little red headed girl that had sworn to love and protect. Never once did a day go past without Chloe running through my mind.

A knock on the door brought me out of my memories. My gaze toggled from the door to the picture in my hands. The name Chloe was haphazardly scrolled across the bottom of the drawing. Gently I ran my hand over the childish signature.

"Looks like I've finally found you my petite poupée de chiffon", I drawled tenderly.

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**Petite poupée de chiffon**: little rag doll in French.

Read and Review Please.


	23. Squint Your Eyes and Turn Your Head

**I do not own The Phantom of the Opera**

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**Chloe**

I woke slowly, as if I was afraid that if I opened my eyes to fast the arms around me would suddenly disappear. Gently allowed my eyes to open all the way.

A smile crept over my face. There he was beneath me; his unmasked face was relaxed into a smile. I allowed myself a moment of greediness as I reached up to touch his face.

It was simply and uniquely him.

His mouth opened and let out a content sigh as my hands traveled over the course of his face. His eyes slowly opened. At first his gaze traveled around the room lazily before they focused in on me.

His eyes softened as he looked at me. It made my heart warm and if Erik had not been holding me I would have been doing back flips in joy.

I ran my hand over his marred cheek affectionately. Erik's eyes snapped open and he sat up abruptly, taking me with him.

"Erik what's wrong?" I asked, alarmed. He didn't answer; instead he brought his hand up and placed it over mine. It then traveled the length of my bare arm to my shoulder; then to my neck and finally to my face.

"Yo- you're actually there", he stated softly. I bit my lip debating how to answer. Feeling a bit gutsy I settled on placing my hand on his exposed chest. "I will let you decide", I said.

He pulled me into a hug and softly kissed the top of my head. I smiled softly. _You're the best friend a girl could ask for, _I thought contently.

The growling of Erik's stomach broke the silence. We both chuckled softly. "Well I guess it's time for us to go fix breakfast", I murmured as I began to untangle myself from him.

Or at least I tried to untangle myself from him, but apparently he had other plans, because his arms were not moving from me. "Its fine", he stated as he laid back down, taking me with him.

His stomach growled again as if to put its two scents into the conversation. "See", he said indicating to his stomach with his head. "He said it was fine", he relayed to me with a smile.

"So your stomach is a guy too?" I asked, quirking my head in curiosity. Erik's brows knitted in humor. "Why is your stomach a male instead of female?" He asked genuinely confused.

My face went blank and I stared at him in disbelief. Erik began to shift around uneasily under my intense stare.

"Of course it's a man. Who else would complain that loudly about being hungry?"She asked raising an eyebrow.

…

Chloe's eyes widened dramatically as she was flipped onto her back with Erik resting between her legs. "Wha- what are you doing?" she asked as she tried to wiggle back away from the man above her.

Erik rubbed his hands together as he chuckled softly. "Soooo", he drawled as he leaned forward. "You think men complain a lot?" He asked rhetorically.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! I didn't say that! Stop twisting my words around", Chloe demanded defensively. Erik leaned forwards even more, ignoring her words.

"Erik?" Chloe whispered.

Erik let out one bursting cackle before he began to tickle the living daylights out of Chloe.

"Dear God please, please just, Erik", Chloe wheezed out in a high pitched voice. Chloe's begging so degraded to high pitched moans and heavy pants as Erik continued.

Erik's fingers continued to wiggle up and down her form, stopping at any points that caused Chloe to buck underneath him. At this point both Erik and Chloe were panting from physical exertion.

Suddenly Chloe's head slammed back against the bed and she screamed Erik's name. Apparently he had just found one of Chloe's really sensitive spots. Erik finally stopped seeing that he had accomplished what he had set out to do.

Soon both of their breathing went back to normal and silence seized the room. That was until it was broken by the growling of Chloe's stomach. Erik let out a light chuckle as he opened up his arms. Chloe leaned up and clasped her good arm around Erik's neck.

Erik then secured both of Chloe's legs around his waist before he stood from the bed taking her with him.

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**Erik**

I walked to the kitchen before depositing Chloe on one of the bar stools that seemed to magically pop up in this room. I then walked backwards until my back hit the counter behind me.

Chloe let out a lazy yawn as she pushed a stray hair out of her face. She was wearing one of my night gowns and seeing it on her had my possessive side in a delighted uproar.

I had to force myself to turn around and begin to prepare breakfast. It stayed quiet as I began to gather ingredients. It was not that the silence was uncomfortable it was just that it allowed me to think.

And the more I thought the more my thoughts began to turn to one question in particular. It was not until I served breakfast that I managed to find my voice again.

"Chloe", I began before my train of thought tried to leave me. Chloe had turned away from her plate to look at me expectantly. "Ummm well if your comfortable with it", I started again before rubbing the back of my neck uneasily.

I saw Chloe had stiffened from the corner of my eye. "Why were you upstairs yesterday?" I finished looking into Chloe's eyes. I noticed the tension in her frame had relaxed a bit.

"Well, I wanted to find a job. So I went upstairs to look for one", she said as she concentrated on her plate. The fork in my hand bent slightly.

"I thought I told you that you didn't need to find a job", I said trying to keep the frustration out of my tone. _If she had just listened to me then what happened yesterday would not have occurred, _I thought bitterly.

_Then again if I had just stayed with her yesterday what happened would not have occurred either, _I though as a frown tugged at my mouth.

"Look Erik, I **wanted** to go out and get a job", she said, cutting into my thoughts. "Besides what is done is done", she stated, stabbing into her French toast violently suggesting that she was not just talking about her new job.

I sighed mentally as I resisted the urge to ask if she was okay. _Of course she is not okay, _I mentally berated myself. _The best I can do now is try to distract her from thinking too much about what happened, _I thought.

"So what is your new job exactly?" I asked hoping to get the dark look off of her face. I mentally patted myself on the back as Chloe's feature lit up into a smile. "Oh Erik it is so wonderful", she exclaimed reaching over the table and grabbing my hand with her good one.

"I got a job as the head artisan", she continued joyfully, giving my hand a squeeze. I could not help but smile at her happiness.

My hand traveled from her hand up her arm and to her face. I gently clasped her cheek, my thumb rubbing from the tip of her nose to just underneath her eye.

I did not have to say anything. I knew she knew I was happy for her and that was good enough for the both of us.

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**Well if you squint your eyes and turn your head it almost looks like I snuck a sex scene in there. ALMOST. Lolz.**

**Read and Review.**


	24. With My Nephew!

**This is a gag chapter. This means it is not actually connected to the real story. The actual story will continue in chapter 25. Enjoy**

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**Arabella**

I sat down at my computer tonight and wondered what I should write tonight for all my lovely readers. I was at a complete loss as to what to do. That was until my four year old nephew asked if he could help me.

Who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth?

So the words in that are bold and italicized is the conversation that me and my nephew had. It looks like this: _**Example**_

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_**Arabella: So nephew what are we going to write about?**_

_**Nephew: Nana there should be ice cream**_

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Erik and Chloe were sitting in the kitchen of the Opera house. It was that time of the month, which meant that that Erik was craving chocolate ice cream.

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_**Arabella: Okay nephew, now what?**_

_**Nephew: Ummmm, there should be a rollercoaster!**_

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Suddenly screams filled the air, making both Erik and Chloe jump with surprise. They shared a look before they exited the kitchen.

A few minutes later Erik came rushing back into the kitchen. He looked around frantically before his eyes settled on the ice cream that he had left.

He let out a sigh of relief as he grabbed his ice cream and exited the kitchen yet again. His eyes immediately set on Chloe's retreating form and he had to rush to catch up to her.

The screams came again, but louder this time. "It sounds like it is coming from the roof", Chloe said as she took off running up the stairs.

They burst onto the roof to see a- a rollercoaster?

Oliver sat next to the rollercoaster with a smile on his face.

"Ummmm, care to explain what this is", Erik said gesturing to the rollercoaster with a spoon full of ice cream. Oliver smile widened as he stood from his chair.

"Well as you can see this here is a rollercoaster", Oliver said with a smug grin. Chloe face palmed. "Well thanks caption obvious, but we were wondering what is it was doing on the roof of the opera house", Chloe deadpanned.

"Well…"Oliver said clasping his hands behind his back and leaning back in forth. "I thought it would bring in more customers", he continued with a shrug.

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_**Arabella: So what are you thinking now nephew?**_

_**Nephew: Zombies! There should be Zombies!**_

_**Arabella: But I don't want Chloe and Erik to get eaten.**_

_**Nephew: Well they could be nice zombies.**_

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A dark shape loomed up behind Oliver, its decayed hand reaching out towards him.

Erik and Chloe's eyes widened comically and Erik jumped into Chloe's arms. She grunted as she strained to hold him.

The zombie tapped Oliver on his shoulder, making him turn to face him… her …. It? (I am not sure what it is, it is hard to tell.)

"Sir I am here to inform you that the last of the customers has left. Would you like for me to begin to shut down the rollercoaster Sir?" The zombie asked attempting to smile. It quickly shut its mouth when a human finger fell out.

"Teddy! What did I say about snacking on the customers?!" Oliver demanded, crossing his arms and stamping his foot. "Oh sir please do not worry about. I was simply replacing one of our employees who quite today", the zombie offered with an apologetic smile.

"Oh really? Who quite?" Oliver asked, completely undisturbed about the finger that was now twitching at his feet. "Do you remember Janis? She was the one missing an arm" the zombie stated.

"Oh, why did she quite", Oliver asked finally re-noticing the finger on the ground. He then nudged it off of the roof. Horrified screams from bellow soon ensued.

"Well sir apparently she was chased away by an angry mob", the zombie stated nonchalant. The zombie and Oliver shared a look before they burst out into laughter.

At this point Erik had become too heavy to hold and Chloe was forced to drop him. This of course was resulted in Erik spilling his ice cream. He immediately began to mourn the loss of his treat as comical tears began to stream down his face.

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_**Arabella: Okay is that all?**_

_**Nephew: Yes, now let's go get ice cream!**_

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Lolz my nephew is so cute! Read and Review.


	25. Meeting

**Happy Easter! I do not own The Phantom of the Opera. Enjoy.**

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**Oliver**

I sat in my office watching Chloe paint the poster for _Agrippina. _I watched as her paint brush clad hand jumped across the canvas adding a bit of color here and there. I was fascinated by the way she could make a painting come together. It was like watching someone stitch two pieces of cloth together.

Her eyes strayed from the canvas and locked onto mine. The concentration masking her face melted away as she smiled at me. My heart faltered slightly and my normally stern expression allowed for a small smile.

Over the last month and a half Chloe had grown on me like ivy.

"Carlotta I swear if you continue to move around I will paint you looking 30 pounds heavier", Chloe threatened holding her paint brush out towards Carlotta menacingly.

Carlotta replied by standing from her bench, wiggling a bit before sitting again with a smug expression on her face. "Make that 40 pounds", Chloe mumbled low enough so only I could hear.

I couldn't help but snort, which earned me a glare from the diva. I simply glared back at her, making her look away. "Heh", I chuckled seeing that I had won this round.

Chloe suddenly stood from her chair, reaching her hands toward the ceiling in a stretch. My eyes immediately went to her now un-bandaged left hand. It looked smaller and more delicate then her right one, but then again what can you expect since she has not been able to use it the last two and a half months.

Chloe must have noticed me starring because she immediately retracted her left hand with a light scowl. I forced myself to look away, slightly embarrassed. It's not like I had been starring out of disgust, but I could relate to the feeling of being stared at.

Absent mindedly I rubbed the scar that ran from my right temple to my nose, my fingers brushing over my scarred, unseeing eye. "Well I think I am done for today", Chloe exclaimed as she began to clean her brushes.

"Same time tomorrow?" She questioned with a smile. Carlotta looked at her for a brief second before nodding with a warm smile. Carlotta then waved goodbye as she walked out of my office. Chloe then turned her dark eyes on me in question.

I faltered for a bit, having not realized she was talking to me as well. I recovered quickly before giving her a curt nod and a small smile.

My eyes then dragged over my desk making the ends of my mouth turn down. Sitting, half hidden by a drawing Chloe had given me, was an invitation to lunch from my new patron. His name was Albert Foster, and even though I had not met him I had only heard about his cruelty.

I shook my head clearing my mind of the negative thoughts. _I at least need to give him a chance. Sometimes that is all a person needs; _I thought my thumb rubbing over my closed dead eye.

"Hey, are you okay?"

I blinked in surprise before looking down to see Chloe right in front of me. I blinked again nervously, noticing how close she had gotten while I was not looking.

I scowled at myself sensing the light blush that had developed on my face. "Yes, I just have a meeting that I am not looking forward to", I replied as I went to grab my jacket. A hand stopped me.

"Is it for business?" She asked looking up at me curiously. I saw were the conversation was going and my expression lit up in excitement. "Would you care to come with me?" I asked holding out my hand towards her.

Her eyes lit up as she took my hand. "So where are we going?" she asked as we linked arms and walked out of my office. "So exactly what are we doing?" Chloe asked looking up at me.

"Well", said opening the door of the opera for her. "You are going to be joining me on a visit with my new patron", I continued as we once again linked arms. "Who is your patron?" she asked, adjusting her hat.

"Well aren't you just bubbling with questions", I observed with a smile. I looked down to see Chloe blushing out of embarrassment. _God damn she looks so cute like that, _I thought unconsciously bringing her closer to me.

"Sorry I am just curious", she said shrugging apologetically. I chuckled lightly. "It is fine and to answer your question; he is an American who just recently moved to France. He is from an influential family", I stated as I helped her into the carriage.

Chloe snorted. "Well are you going to tell me his name?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. I took my seat across from her. "No, I don't believe in introducing people", I said as I fully relaxed into the seat.

"You will just have to ask him yourself", I told her with a small smile.

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**Erik**

My hand clenched as I watched Chloe and Oliver leave Oliver's office, linked arm and arm. I slowly pushed open the hidden door I was hiding behind. An arm snagged my shoulder.

I grabbed the offending hand and slammed its owner into the wall closest to me, causing some of the books from the nearest bookshelf to fall off.

"Hey, hey, hey! Calm down it's just me", the person beneath me hollered.

I released Gabriel harshly. "What's got yer panties in a twist?" Gabriel asked in irritation. I glared at him before pushing past him to enter the office. I paced back and forth as I relied what had just happened.

I looked up at Gabriel to see that his eyes were also narrowed. "D'ya know where they were headin?" Gabriel asked, fixing his gaze on me. I let out a frustrated sigh and shook my head angrily.

"Let's look round the office, we might find sumthin", Gabriel suggested heading towards a large desk piled with papers. I swiftly looked around the rest of the office to see if there was a bag or a stack of files laying anywhere.

I heard Gabriel gasp from behind me. I just barely turned around soon enough to see Gabriel sprinting out the hidden door. I took off after him, slamming the hidden door shut along the way. "Where do you think you're going", I screamed after him.

"No time to explain", he yelled back. He burst through a door leading to the outside. I came to a screeching halt just at the entrance of the door. Gabriel glanced back and stopped as well.

"Erik we have to go now", he screamed. I looked at him and then I looked back into the dark hallway, feeling it beckoning to me. "Erik, I know you're scared but if you don't come with me Chloe is going to be in real danger", Gabriel yelled, turning on his heel and taking off again.

I cursed silently before I followed him out into the bright day.

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Read and Review please.


	26. Ninja Fail

**This is the continuation of chapter 21, meaning that this is a gag chapter. This means that it is not actually connected to the real story. Enjoy.**

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Gabriel reached up and gingerly touched his swollen lip. _Bastard, _he thought glaring at Erik. As you can imagine reader, as soon as Erik had caught up to Gabriel he had given him a good going over.

Erik caught Gabriel glaring at him out of the corner of his eye, so he smirked at him. This only caused the paled eyed man's glare to intensify. "So slick ya got me out here, now what is the plan", Gabriel drawled as he began to fan himself with his hat.

"Well first we need to go to the stable and ask a work hand where Oliver and Chloe went", Erik said with an evil grin. Gabriel snorted noisily knowing that Erik's definition of ask was a lot different from most people's definition of ask.

"Okay, lead the way buddy", Gabriel said, putting his hat back on. Erik then proceeded to ninja up the nearest wall grabbing onto the nearest ledge and hoisted himself up. The light sounds of Erik's shoes running along the ledge echoed softly down the wall until they faded into nothingness.

Gabriel shiftily eyed the wall and the ledge that Erik had disappeared over. He then took a deep breath before taking a few steps back and ran full speed to the wall. _You can do it, you can do it, _he mentally chanted as he lunged at the wall, legs flailing.

_**SPLAT! **_

Gabriel stuck to the wall like a bug on a windshield. He stayed suspended there for a few seconds before he slid down the wall with a moan.

Gabriel blinked a few times, trying to clear the stars from his vision. He slowly stood up glaring at the wall accusingly. "Screw it, I'am gonna walk to the stables", Gabriel mumbled as he began to stagger to his destination.

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**Bob**

I turned away from the horse I had just been brushing and set the brush on top of the stall. The horse: Phantom began to whinny frantically.

"Shhhhh, boy your okay", I murmured, patting the horse soothingly. The horse slowly calmed down as I whispered to it softly.

"Just you wait; I almost have enough money to buy that horse farm I have been telling ya about. And when I get it you will be coming with me", I whispered excitedly.

Phantom had at this point calmed down completely. "Looks like I missed a spot", I exclaimed as I spotted a dull spot on the horses back.

"Now let's see if I can fix that", I lulled in a sing song voice. I reached over to grasp the brush I had just set down, but my hand just hit the top of the stall. _What the duck, _I thought as I looked at the spot the brush should have been.

_Damn it Jimmy, _I thought as I faced palmed. "Jimmy quite taking my tools", I called as I glared around the stables, expecting the bucked tooth idiot to pop out at any moment.

Nothing, the stables were completely silent, save for the gently breathing of Phantom. "Jimmy", I called again as I stepped out of the stall.

I took three steps and then a large crash made me jump out of my boots. I slapped my hands over my mouth in an attempt to keep a girlish squeal from escaping me.

_Success, _I thought in glee since I managed to keep quiet. I would have given myself a high five if it weren't for the object that flew past me. It hit the wall next to me before clattering to my feet, making scream like the sissy I was.

I immediately stopped screaming as soon as I recognized the object as my missing brush. I scowled menacingly at the thing. "You win this round brush", I exclaimed pointing my finger angrily at it.

I continued to glare at the brush before sighing in defeat. _Note to self: don't get in glaring contests with things that don't have eyes,_ I thought as I stooped to pick up the brush.

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**Erik**

I could barely subdue the chuckle that wanted to escape me as I watched the little black haired fellow glare at the brush I had just thrown at him.

He then sighed in what seemed like defeat before he bent over the retrieve the item. _Now is my chance to really scare him,_ I thought as I stepped from the shadows and snuck up behind him.

I gently tapped him on the shoulder, making him stiffen and drop the brush. He then gingerly looked around his shoulder, his brown eyes widening comically as he spotted me.

"Don't move, I have a few questions", I growled. I flinched in shock as the man fell to the frown in a dead faint.

"Damn it, not again", I said frustrated.

"I thought ya didn't like usin foul language", I heard Gabriel mock from somewhere behind me. I looked over my shoulder to see Gabriel standing at the entrance of the stable.

I just glared at him, that was until he started limping towards me. "What happened to you?" I asked mildly concerned.

I noticed a light scowl cross his face before he shrugged his shoulders. "So lemme guess ya were just askin him where they went an he fell asleep", he stated mockingly.

"It does not matter what happened. All I know is now he is useless", I stated as I rubbed my face in frustration.

"Well, maybe we can find out where they went if we go look around Oliver's office", Gabriel suggested as he began to walk out of the stable. I sighed following him out.

"Okay follow me" I said as I scramble to the top of the stable. I paused on the stable roof waiting for Gabriel.

"You can do it", I heard Gabriel say. A loud crash resounded throughout the air, I then heard Gabriel curse loudly before he staggered away.

I chuckled lightly before I began to make my way to Oliver's office.

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Erik and Gabriel raced through the hidden corridors. Finally they reached the hidden door to Oliver's office. They threw open the door.

Chloe and Oliver were sitting on a blanket on the floor. A picnic basket setting next to them. Oliver immediately stood up, putting himself between them and Chloe.

"Phantom what are you doing here", Oliver exclaimed with a glare. "Yeah Erik what are you doing here?" Chloe asked curiously as she stood up and walked past a flabbergasted Oliver.

Gabriel cleared his throat. "I'am here too ya know", Gabriel said stepping around Erik and giving Chloe a flirty grin. Erik had to restrain himself from strangling the living daylights out of his so called friend.

"Oh umm well- why are you both here then?" Chloe asked becoming more confused.

"Oh um well ya see-", Gabriel stuttered as he rubbed the back of his neck. "We were just planning on- uh", Erik continued before looking at Gabriel for help.

"Ummm", Gabriel murmured scratching his head. "Tee-peeing his office", Gabriel finally exclaimed pointing at Oliver, who in return tilted his head in confusion.

"Yeah! Wait- What?!" Erik exclaimed, giving Gabriel an incredulous look. "Yep gotta go", Gabriel hollered before slamming the secret door shut.

"What just happened?" Oliver asked tonelessly. Chloe simply shrugged before sitting down on the blanket.

Oliver looked quizzically at the hidden door; before he snapped his fingers like he had just solved a problem. He then walked over to his desk and paused looking at the pile of papers that resided on it. He then shrugged before pushing the paper mountain off on to the floor.

"Ah- Ha", he exclaimed as he picked up a role of duck-tape that had been smothering beneath the papers. He then proceeded to unmercifully bind the secret door shut.

Oliver sighed in satisfaction as he took a step back to admire his work. Chloe face palmed.

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XD

**Read and Review.**


	27. Silver Lining

**I do not own The Phantom of the Opera. Enjoy.**

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**Oliver**

I could not help but smile at the way that Chloe kept looking out the window in delight. It was almost like she had never seen the city before. _Maybe she does not live in the city, _I mused.

Chloe looked over at me, managing to catch my eye and gave me what seemed to a an appreciative smile. I felt my face began to heat up and I immediately scowled at myself for getting so worked up over a simple smile.

"Oliver, come look at this", Chloe said as she frantically gestured for me to come sit next to her. I chuckled lightly at her child-like antics. My laughter intensified as Chloe physically grabbed me and dragged me to the carriage window.

My face turned into one of appreciation as I took in the sight before me. The sky was ablaze with blue clouds and sunlight. A light fog hung on the hills that peeked at us from in between the little shops that littered the side of the road. All in all, it was breath taking.

I caught Chloe starring at me from the corner of my eye. "What?" I asked turning slightly so she would not be able to see the entire scar that dominated the right side of my face.

"Please don't move yet", she said grabbing my face with both of her hands. "Look if you just want to stare at my scar then just stop", I demanded trying to pry her hands off.

"I am looking at your scar and I would appreciate if you would stop moving", She said leaning closer. I felt my eyebrows knitting in confusion at her bluntness.

"Look just stop, it's embarrassing", I demanded, in a flat tone.

Her eyes scanned my face gently. "You know I had not noticed it before, but your scar turns silver in the sunlight", she observed", her thumb then touched my temple where my scar started.

She then gave me a look that seemed to be asking my permission to continue. I paused confused. _Is she mocking me? _I mentally questioned. I gave her a stern look, but her face didn't change.

She was still sitting there, her thumb was still resting on my temple, and she was still silently asking my permission to continue. The only difference was that her eyes had softened immensely.

I sighed; closing my eyes I gave her a light nod. Slowly her thumb traced my scar down my temple. She lightly ghosted over my eyelid before moving to my cheek and running the rest of the length to my nose.

"It's beautiful, you know" she spoke softly as I felt her remove her hands. "You had better not be mocking me", I lightly threatened keeping my eyes closed, not really wanting to see her.

"Why would I mock you?" She asked with what seemed like genuine curiosity. This only made me angrier.

"Really?" I demanded as I opened my eyes and glared at her.

She crossed her arms stubbornly as if to say _yeah really_. I didn't have the energy to explain myself to her. So I settled for looking out the window again.

"Look at me", I heard her demand softly. I set my sights stubbornly on the passing storefronts out the window. A hand snaked its way under my chin before it yanked me to face Chloe.

"I would never mock you", she said narrowing her eyes at me angrily. "You are my friend and I respect you", she continued pulling my face a bit closer to hers.

"And I meant every word I said", she enunciated pulling me even closer. We stared at each other like that for what felt like an eternity.

Finally her grip on my chin and her fierce expression softened as she continued to gaze at me. Her left hand then reached up and gently feathered over my scar, making me close my eyes.

"You may think this scar is ugly, but it can't be", she said softly taking her hands from my face. I opened my eyes to find we were only an inch apart. "It can't be because it's apart of you", she continued with a small smile.

My heart swelled a bit at her words, and I felt a smile sneak onto my face as well. My eyes then shifted from her eyes to her mouth and I felt myself leaning in.

Three sharp nocks made me jump back out of surprise. Our driver then yelled that we had arrived. _Damn you Bob, _I though angrily as I imagined thrashing the stagehand unmercifully.

I looked back out at Chloe, but she was smiling excitedly, completely unaware of the kiss we almost shared.

I sighed opening the carriage door and stepping out. "I will go in first and let my patron know I have a guest with me", I said, as I put on my mask of indifference. "Just give me a minute and then come in", I instructed allowing myself to smile at her one last time.

She smiled back with a nod, making her curls bounce enthusiastically. My smile widened slightly before I turned to enter the small café we had pulled up next to.

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After running though an immense stretch of alleys and back roads, Erik had finally caught up to Gabriel. He snatched the taller mans shoulder and slammed him up against the nearest wall.

"Why is Chloe in danger?!" Erik demanded through gritted teeth. "There's no time ta explain we gotta go now!" Gabriel yelled as he tried to thrash out of Erik's grip.

"You are going to make time", he demanded getting into Gabriel's face.

Gabriel gritted his teeth before explaining how he and Chloe had known each other when they were younger in and how they had come to France.

"Okay, but that still does not explain why she is in danger now", Erik bit out, frustrated. "The whole reason why me and Chloe came ta France was ta get away from her bastard of a father and that's who her an that Oliver guy went to go meet", Gabriel said, straining against Erik's with renewed vigor.

"Why did you and Chloe need to get away from her father", Erik asked angry that Gabriel was beating around the bush.

Gabriel then went completely limp in Erik's hands, before looking up at the man with pleading eyes. Erik's eyes just narrowed more. He was not one to give into pity and Gabriel knew it.

Gabriel's brows knitted in a mixture of sadness and regret before he leaned in and whispered in Erik's ear.

At first Erik's face contorted into confusion as if he could not comprehend what Gabriel had told him. His eyes then flew open in shock and his hands went limp to his side, forcing him to drop Gabriel to the ground.

All of the color then drained from Erik's face before his eyes filled with a clashing mixture of terror and pure rage.

Without another word both men booked it down the alley, disappearing with only a puff of dust left in their wake.

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So I am debating on whether or not to skip the gag chapter tomorrow and just post the real story, but I figured I should probably leave it to my lovely readers to decide. So post in the comments and if no one responds I will just assume no one really cares and I will stop updating all together.

….

**Sike! **

I don't have the heart or the will to stop writing!

But for realzies, if no one leaves a comment about it, I will just follow my regular routine.

Read and Review por favor.


	28. Memories

**I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, and I am going to go on with the original story. You can thank mollyjr3 for it. Enjoy.**

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**Chloe**

I watched as Oliver disappeared into the shop. I sighed before looking out the window again. My attention was immediately seized by the image of Madam Giry: the head ballet instructor at the opera house.

Erik had once pointed her out to me and I had gotten the feeling that there was something else going on between him and her. My attention went back to Madam Giry once I noticed that she was gently pulling a small girl through the crowd with her.

The girl herself must have been not much older than six. Her long brown curly hair fell down her back and bounced as her little legs tried to keep up with the demands of the rushing ballet instructor.

Momentarily her and my eyes met. They were big and brown and full of what seemed to be sadness. My heart went out to the girl that soon disappeared in the crowd. _Hopefully I will see her again, _I thought before letting out a sigh.

I turned from the window before opening the carriage door and hopping out. _It has probably been long enough,_ I thought as I smoothed out the wrinkles of my dress. I gave the coach driver a smile before I headed into the café.

The smell of fresh bread and cigarette smoke floated around the small room and soft murmurs from the other costumers seemed lull softly off the café walls. I heard someone call my name and turned to see Oliver politely waving at me to come over.

I smiled back at him before my eyes strayed to the other man at the table.

Memories I had suppressed for so long came rushing back to me.

I could feel his hands running through my hair and up my thighs.

I could hear the grunts that escaped him as he thrust into me agonizingly.

I could clearly remember the stinging itchy feeling I would get from my face being repeatedly forced into the carpet of his office.

I could hear his voice laughing at the way I had screamed in pain.

I couldn't help but shrink back as my horror grew. I could faintly hear Oliver calling my name again before I fell backwards, my butt hitting the hard wood of the café floor.

All the sounds in the café muted as I sensed everyone turning to look at me. Everyone's face were blurred except for the man's who was sitting with Oliver.

His dark eyes that mirrored my own narrowed at me. I turned and ran from the café, hoping that the man: my father had not recognized me.

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Chloe ran from the café as fast as she could. She had made it halfway down the street in a blind sprint before she crashed into the arms of a stranger.

She screamed loudly as she hit the man in the chest trying to get him to let her go. The man just pulled her in closer waiting for her to calm down. Finally she just gave up with a sob. The man hushed her.

"Chloe your safe now. Don't worry", he said as he pet her hair gently. Another man had stepped closer to the two. A look of jealousy had possessed his features, but he could not find it in his heart to break the two apart.

Instead he settled for glaring maliciously through his mask at anyone who dared to stare at the trio for too long.

"Gabriel?" Chloe asked finally recognizing the man that held her. Gabriel nodded softly into her hair and hugged her tighter.

Chloe's sobbed louder making both men wince. She was crying for many reason. She was crying because she was scared. She was crying over her own stupidity for not realizing who Gabriel was sooner.

She was crying because she desperately wanted for her father to be ignorant of her identity.

"Phantom", someone yelled from down the road. The masked man's attention snapped to the one who had just stupidly yelled at him: Oliver. Oliver then began to weave his way through the crowd of now curious market goers.

Erik mentally hissed at all of the attention the group was getting, before he rounded the little group into the nearest alley.

Chloe was now just softly sniffing into Gabriel's chest. Oliver just coolly inspected the group as he tried to keep his concern for Chloe off of his face.

"I think she just fell asleep", Gabriel said to Erik as he maneuvered the now unconscious Chloe in his arms so she could not fall so easily.

"It's more likely that she passed out from stress", Erik replied before stepping forward and opening his arms to take Chloe from Gabriel.

Gabriel's face hardened sharply before he readjusted Chloe in his arms again so that he was cradling her; clearly suggesting he was not letting go of her anytime soon.

Erik snarled lightly but decided that it was not wrestling Chloe into his arms was not worth the risk of hurting her in the process.

"Would you all stop talking around me and tell me what the hell just happened", Oliver demanded in a dangerously low tone. Both Erik and Gabriel stopped glaring at each other just long enough to send a glare up at the taller man.

"Why the hell would you choose him to be you patron?" Gabriel whispered fiercely as he took a step closer to the scarred man. Oliver blinked in surprise at the complete randomness of the question.

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?!" He demands taking a step towards Gabriel in return.

"It has to do with everything. That man, your so called patron, is a child rapist. A fucking pedophile", Erik interjected, just barely managing to keep his voice contained.

Both Gabriel and Oliver flinched, not expecting to hear that kind of language from the phantom.

Oliver quickly recovered before he got in Erik's face, towering over him. "Do you have any proof for to back up that statement?" Oliver demanded as he glared down at the younger man.

Erik's eyes bitterly set on Chloe. Silence filled the alley as all three men stared at the woman in Gabriel's arm.

The color drained from Oliver's face as realization weighed down on him. He clenched his hands in anger, making his knuckles go white with rage.

"We have to get her out of here", Gabriel finally spoke up. This made Erik snapped his gaze from Chloe in an instant. "You are not taking her from me", he said in a dangerous voice as he took a step closer to Gabriel.

"Look Erik I know ya love her. I do to, an I spect that fancy britches over there has a hankering for lil' Chloe as well", Gabriel said as both he and Erik shot a dirty look at the now lightly blushing man.

"But her father is obsessed with her. She ain't safe here no more", Gabriel continued softly looking down at the small woman lovely. "We don't even know if he recognized her", Oliver and Erik exclaimed together before they glared intensely at one another.

Gabriel sighed in frustration. "Do the both of ya'll really wanna take a chance?" He asked exasperated.

Both Oliver and Erik narrowed their eyes in bitter understanding. All three men became quiet as they started to brain storm over the problem before them.

Chloe innocently sighed making all three men look over and admire how beautiful she looked in her sleep. All three men sighed in unison, snapping their attention from Chloe before they glared at one another.

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I feel bad for not writing a gag chapter, so I will be writing one sometime this week at random.

Read and Review.


	29. Apparently Not

**I do not own the Phantom of the Opera. This is a gag chapter, meaning it is not related to the actual story. The real story will continue in chapter 30. Enjoy!**

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**Chloe**

I smacked my forehead in annoyance as I looked at the three arguing men I was currently stuck with.

"I told you they put the map in one of the trunks in the attic", Oliver yelled, raising his hands above his head in frustration.

Erik kicked a trunk in annoyance. "We have been rummaged around this dusty room for the last hour and a half and I am starting to think you have sent us on a wild goose chase", Erik accused in a low growl.

"Hey fellas what's _The Grudge_?" Gabriel asked as he picked up one of the movies sitting on the projector tucked into the corner of the attic.

I felt myself pale considerable with a shudder. I looked at Erik to see that he also had a similar look on his face. Are eyes connected and I could see the fear that was inside them.

At any other time the sight of the notoriously cold blood Phantom being legitimately scared would have made me laugh, but I had watched that movie too and I was just as scared of it as he was. Therefore I had no room to talk.

"Did I say somethin wrong?" Gabriel asked having seen our reaction. Erik quickly recovered and smiled sweetly at Gabriel. My eyebrows quirked in confusion at Erik's suddenly sunny disposition.

"No not at all my dear friend", Erik exclaimed taking a step towards Gabriel with a smile. Gabriel stepped back warily; not trusting the overly happy masked man coming towards him.

"Wha- what's with the creeper smile ya got goin on there buddy?" Gabriel faltered taking another tentative step back.

"I am offended, this is the smile of friendship my good man!" Erik exclaimed as he took yet another step towards Gabriel.

Oliver caught my attention and gave me a look that seemed to ask if Erik was always this creepy. I nodded solemnly before wiping a fake tear from my eye.

Oliver gave me a sympathetic looked before he stepped towards me and patted my shoulder comfortingly. I then proceeded to mock sobbed into his chest and he hushed me soothingly while continuing to pat my back.

I would have broken out into laughter, but I did not want to interrupt the conversation that was currently taking place.

"I didn't know the smile O' friendship looked so similar ta the smile of a rapist", Gabriel rambled taking yet another step backwards.

Suddenly Gabriel smiled with a look of enlightenment on his face. This caused Erik to frown and falter in his forward assault.

"You know, if you wanted _that _you could have just asked", Gabriel said as he too acquired a creepy smile.

Both Oliver's and my head snapped in their direction before we looked at each other in disbelief then back at them. Oliver and I then shared a look before we began to awkwardly shuffle away from the two men with me still in his arms.

"That's not what I meant", Erik exclaimed as he waved his hands in front of himself frantically. "I was just merely suggesting you watch the movie because it's super good", Erik said as he cleared his throat and straightened the front of his jacket in what seemed to be as an attempt to recover from his moment of panic.

Gabriel let out a grunt and rolled his eyes as if to say _'oh yeah not suspicious at all_.'

"I think I would like to watch it", Oliver said softly. I laughed thinking he was joking, but I suddenly found myself the object of Oliver's innocent curiosity. "Why did you laugh at me?" Oliver asked seriously.

I slapped my hand to my forehead yet again, before looking at Oliver from between my fingers. He was still looking at me extremely confused. I dragged my hand down my face in exasperation and opened my mouth to answer him but was cut off by Erik and Gabriel screaming at Oliver to let go of me.

Silence spread throughout the room. I eyed all three men curious to see what was going to happen. Oliver didn't move or say anything. He just stared at the fuming Erik and Gabriel stoically.

Slowly Oliver pulled me closer before leaning down and kissing my forehead. My eyes widened in surprise and a blush spread across my face in a torrent.

What occurred next happened too fast for me to react. Suddenly I found myself in another pair of arms and loud crashes resounded throughout the attic. My nose then picked up the light smoldering scent of cigars that normally accompanied Gabriel where ever he went.

"Gabriel?" I asked tentatively, as I slowly looked up to see Gabriel's pale eyes smiling down at me. "The one and only", he assured.

"You bastard", Oliver yelled. I looked over to see that Erik had tied Oliver to a wooden chair in front of the projector screen. Erik rubbed his hands together deviously before he began messing with the projector.

I felt something wet scrub my forehead. I whipped my attention back to Gabriel to see him licking his thumb. I was about to demand what he was doing, but I lost my ability to speak when he started to use his thumb to scrub my forehead again.

My face contorted into revulsion and I let out a soft _ewww. _Gabriel let out a small chuckle and offered his apologies.

"Here, lemme kiss it better", he drawled before placing his lips on my forehead. I rolled my eyes at his antics. Suddenly Gabriel yelped as he was ripped from me and flung into a wooden chair that had been innocently sitting behind him.

"Wha the fuc-", Gabriel said, but was cut off when Erik began to slavishly tie him down. After he had finished the last knot Erik stood, towering over Gabriel.

He then slowly leaned down and pointed one gloved finger at the cowboy hat clad man. "Language", Erik drawled in a mocking tone before dragging the chair and Gabriel in front of the projector screen.

Erik then began to chuckle darkly as he went back to the projector and flipped a switch making the projector shutter to life.

The opening scenes of _The Grudge _began to play on the screen and realization hit me. I cast a sympathetic look at the two trapped men before Erik grabbed my hand and led me from the attic.

As we left Erik stopped at every candle and put it out. The room steadily began to darken until it was pitch black, save for the movie playing on the screen.

I sighed at Erik's evil actions, but just continued to let him pull me along knowing I would not be able to talk him out of it.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Don't leave me in here!" Oliver hollered. The sounds of thrashing could be heard. Erik chuckled darkly as he opened the door out of the attic.

We both left the room slamming the door shut as soon as we could both hear the Grudge making its awful breathing/clicking/ groaning sound. Both of us sprang down the stairs, flinging open the door at the bottom before slamming it shut.

We both leaned up against the wall panting heavily before sharing a look of relief at having escaped before the movie had really started.

I looked up at Erik again to see that he had recovered and was now staring at me intensely. I immediately let go of his hand, my face flushing a bit.

Erik reclaimed my hand before stepping in front of me, trapping me between him and the wall. I forced myself to stare at his feet, not wanting to see what he was planning to do.

"Chloe", he spoke softly. A warm sensation spread in my chest, making me look up into his eyes. I was shocked to see that he looked slightly hurt. I did not like that look on his face at all, so I did the first think that came to mind.

Slowly I reached up and grabbed the sides of his head with my hands and placed a kiss on his chin.

Erik's eyes widened in surprise and he let go of my hand to touch the place I had kissed him. His hand then went from his chin to the wall next to my head. His other arm joined the first, but on the other side of my head.

My gaze shifted nervously between the two arms encaging me. _Did I go too far?_ I mentally asked myself.

Erik then leaned down and softly kissed my chin and the warm feeling once again spiked in my chest.

_Apparently I not, _I though in a daze.

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**I want to apologize and say that I will not have the regular story up today due to unforeseen circumstances. I therefore will be updating twice tomorrow with the regular story and then another gag chapter. Once again I give you my sincere apologies.**

**Read and Review if you're not too upset.**


	30. Father

**I do not own The Phantom of the Opera. Happy 30 chapter anniversary everyone! Enjoy.**

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**Alyssa **

I flinched nervously as I watched my _father_ pace the length of the den frantically. _He_ seemed to be mumbling something rapidly underneath _his_ breath.

I squeezed my sister's hand trying to gain some reassurance. Lillian squeezed my hand back and scooted a bit closer to me on the couch we were sitting on.

The movement must have caught my _father's_ attention, because soon _his_ dark eyes were set on us. I began to tremble and Lillian scooted closer to me, positioning herself in between me and _him_.

"The two of ya need ta get out", _he_ commanded darkly. No sooner had _he_ uttered the words had Lillian pulled me to my feet and shuffled me towards the door.

Lillian and I had made it half way out the door when suddenly _he_ called out for us to stop. Both of us froze before we slowly looked back at our so called _father_.

We both flinched when we saw the look in_ his_ eyes. It was a look we had both seen on _his_ face many times before. _His_ eyes were narrowed at us with lust, and _his_ mouth had a small smile that on anyone else would look kind and compassionate, but it only sent snakes slithering up my spine.

"Lillian", _he_ drawled out before slowly licking his lips. I felt Lillian stiffen beside me. "Ya will remember ta came back", _he_ said in a way that left no room for disagreement. _He_ then stepped closer to the both of us, making Lillian turn to face him: fully shielding me from_ him_.

"That's unless ya want me ta make a visit ta yer darlin sister's room tonight", _he_ threatened as _his _gaze shifted from Lillian's to mine. I felt _his_ gaze slither up my body, and my heart began to contract painfully in my chest.

Lillian stiffly nodded her head, making my _father_ grunt in approval. I felt tears prick in my eyes knowing what my _father_ was planning on doing.

Lillian then continued to push me out the door and did not stop pushing me until we were upstairs, locked in our bedroom.

I immediately turned and hugged Lillian. "Why do you always do that?" I asked softly, my Australian accent becoming thick with my emotions.

Lillian squeezed me back before asking what I was talking about. I pulled away from her slightly, before looking up into her gray eyes. "You have always protected me from… from _him_", I said as my voice began to wobble.

She pulled me in gently, patting my head comfortingly. "I promised I would never let him touch you", she whispered fiercely. A spark of anger went through me, and I pulled back and glared at her.

"That does not mean you have to take the brunt of the punishment", I exclaimed before Lillian and I clasped our hands over my mouth. We both strained our ears and became extremely still as both of our gazes settle to the floor.

I counted the heart beats that transpired. I got to ten before Lillian and I relaxed. Apparently _he _had not heard us. We both slowly let go of my mouth and let out a soft sigh of relief.

I felt guilty for having yelled at her, all she ever did was protect me. _But I want to protect her too, _I thought as I looked at my sister through my bangs. She began to nervously braid the ends of her hair together into a mahogany rope.

"We should leave", she whispered not taking her eyes off of the floor, almost as if she expected _him _to come up through the floor boards.

This had not been the first time she had suggested it, but things had never been this bad before. Never before had _he_ called on Lillian every day, and it was beginning to kill her. Her gray eyes looked up at me as if gauging my reaction to her words.

I took in her now gaunt figure and the shadows under her eyes, making tears prick in my eyes anew.

My whole entire being wanted me to scream **Yes, yes let's get the heck out of here**, but I had to suffice with a slight nod.

Wordlessly we went to our closets and began to pull out anything that would be useful. Eventually we both had a small pile of clothes and money set out on my bed.

An idea suddenly popped into my head making me trot to our door as silently as possible. "Where are you going?!" Lillian exclaimed in a hushed yell.

"Don't worry Lil, I am just getting some things that we could sell off later if we needed to. Lillian took a step towards me as her brow began to wrinkle in concern.

"Let me do this, I will be quick", I begged wanting for once to put my neck out for her. She bit her lip nervously before slowly nodding her consent.

I gave her a light smile before unlocking our door and slipping into the hallway. I cautiously looked up and down the hall before turning left and heading towards _his _bedroom.

My anxious feet quickly carried me down the hall until I stood in front of _his _door. I cautiously reached out, grabbing the doorknob and turning it. Luckily it was unlocked.

Slowly I opened the door before peering inside. Nothing was moving. _Good hopefully __**he **__is still down in the den, _I thought as I stepped into the room.

My attention immediately went to the luxurious desk in the corner of the room. I searched it from top to bottom, but only found a few fancy pens.

I checked the wardrobe. Nothing. I then went to the closet. Nothing. _His _dresser. Nothing.

_Where is all the good stuff?_ I mentally asked as I pulled my hands down my face in frustration. My eyes then stayed to _his _bed, making me shudder. _Maybe there is something hidden underneath, _I though as I eyed the four-post bed suspiciously.

I cautiously walked to the bed before getting on all fours and sticking my head underneath. _Well there is not a dead body under here. I guess that is a plus, _I thought with a chuckle.

I then spotted a dark shape pressed up against the wall that the bed was lined up against. _Well scratch that last thought,_ I joked tensely. I squinted my eyes at the shape, hoping that it would force my eyes to adjust.

Thankfully it did and I could make out the shape as a medium sized chest with the Foster family's crest on it. _Jackpot, _I thought triumphantly.

I reached my hand out towards the chest, but it was at least a foot out of my reach. I scooted forward so that I now had my whole torso under the bed. I reached again and my fingers just brushed the chest.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" I heard a deep voice ask. I then felt two hands grab my hips. I slowly turned my head back to see that someone else was kneeling behind me, straddling my legs. Their hands gripping my hips, their pelvis leaned up against my rump.

_I am so screwed, _I thought in fear.

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Lols pun so intended. Aren't I evil? =D

Read and Review.


	31. Popsicle

**I do not own The Phantom of the Opera. This is a gag chapter, meaning it is not related to the real story. Enjoy.**

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**Erik**

I suspiciously eyed the red headed diva. Unfortunately I had decided to come to the here on one of the rare days that Carlotta had decided to visit the roof. It was a beautiful day, but the image of La Carlotta had efficiently dampened my mood.

The diva in question was at the moment trying to burn two holes in my head with a glare. I simply glared back. That was until I caught sight of Carlotta's dogs. The poor poodles had mysteriously been dyed orange and green.

_Hmmm, wonder who could have done that? Probably some mysterious masked stud-muffin, _I thought with pride.

"You know, I am tired of this", Carlotta said bringing me out of my thoughts. I raised an eyebrow at her telling her to elaborate.

"Why is it that you always pull nasty pranks on me, I mean what could have I done to deserve this?" She questioned as she frantically gestured to her two dogs.

I let out a snort. _Well it couldn't possible have anything to do with your awful singing, _I thought sarcastically. Carlotta then let out a huff as she walked closer to me, apparently not liking the silent treatment I was giving her.

"Look", she said as her expression softened. "Chloe and I have become good friends in the last couple months and I want to make amends with you. For her", she said, looking me dead in the eye.

I let out a frustrated growl. _ How the heck am I suppose to say no when she involves Chloe like that?_ I asked myself. The answer was that I couldn't, so I stared at her for a bit longer before I finally nodded.

Carlotta then smiled widely before grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the stairs. I was too shocked by her actions to do much, so I just allowed myself to be led to by her. Eventually we made it to the kitchen.

She then dropped my hand before throwing open the freezer retrieving what looked like two popsicles. "I just asked the cook to make these and I thought they would be a perfect way for me to show you that I am being serious", she said handing me both of the popsicles.

I gave her a quick thanks before popping one of the frozen treats into my mouth. I then eyed the other one in my hand in confusion.

She must have seen the look on my face because she quickly explained that it was for Chloe and that I should take it to her before it melts.

I nodded at her once before I went to one of the many counters in the kitchen and opened the bottom drawer. I then pulled the hidden lever that was concealed below a pile of bowls.

The closest wall then twirled open revealing a secret passage. I stepped through the doorway before waving goodbye to Carlotta.

The secret door then twirled shut and Carlotta let out a low evil chuckle that slowly built into a obnoxious maniacal cackle. Lightning flashed outside as cats and dogs all over Paris let out a fearful yelp. Erik felt a shiver run though him, but he merely shrugged before he continued his descent to his lair.

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**Erik **

Another loud pop resounded throughout the lair. I had to bite my lip to keep myself from gaping at the way Chloe was eating her popsicle. Slowly she would run her tongue up and down the length of the red popsicle before the whole thing would disappear into her mouth.

She would then suck on it as she pulled it from her mouth, making a loud popping sound from the suction.

This had been going on for the last five minutes, and I was getting to the point where I was going to have to take a cold shower.

_Damn, you Carlotta, _I mentally cursed vowing that it was going to be her hair that was going to be turned green and orange next.

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=D Read and Review.


	32. About Damn Time

**I do not own the Phantom of the Opera. Enjoy!**

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**Erik**

I hurriedly began shoving everything that I could possible need into a worn out sack. My eyes shifted around my lair in suspicion. _Is that everything? _ I mentally asked.

My eyes then passed over the archway that led to Chloe's room. _Probably should grab a couple things for her as well._

I mentally cursed again, thinking about what occurred earlier that day. "Why in the hell did we agree and taking her to his house?" I muttered darkly as the image of a certain pare of smug pale eyes flittered through my mind's eye.

"Getting all worked up again is not going to help", I scolded as I tried to reason with myself.

_You know it is only a temporary thing, and you know that you will be traveling with her. So what is your deal?_

I thought as I made my way to Chloe's room. _It's not like her father would be able to find her here. _Another part of my mind chimed in as I glanced around the lair. "Shut up", I told it, as my mind went back to the scene at the alley.

_Gabriel clutched the unconscious Chloe close to his chest. "Ya just don't get it", Gabriel whispered fiercely giving me a hard look. "He saw Chloe with fancy britches over yonder", he said gesturing to Oliver with his chin._

_Oliver remained expressionless at my side. Does this guy react to anything? I thought blankly before turning my attention back to Gabriel with a sigh, having seen his point. _

"_That man would tear that Opera house down brick by brick if it meant gettin her", Gabriel continued. "Okay, okay I get it", I whispered fiercely in an attempt not to wake her._

"_I have a home in Ireland", Oliver suddenly spoke up. Both Gabriel and I went silent in thought._

_No way in __**Hell**__ am I letting her go that far. I thought viciously raising my fist slightly. "Okay", Gabriel said making me blink in surprise._

"_What do you mean __**okay**__?!" I screamed rounding on the lanky cowboy. "__**Shut-up**__. Your drawing a crowd", Oliver commanded monotonously. I glared out into the street, not really seeing. _

_A couple of gasps occurred before the people who had gathered dispersed. "Yer a real lady killer", Gabriel drawled earning a light snicker from the scarred man. _

_I breathed tersely though my nose trying to calm myself. Silence sprawled menacingly though the ally like a giant hormonally racked snake, snapping at any noise that dare occur._

"_Fine", I finally snapped out. "But __**I**__ will be escorting her", I threatened pointing one gloved finger at both men, challenging them to contradict me._

_They both looked like they wanted to say something, but what could they say? I was the only one not tied down to responsibilities here. __**I **__was the only one that her father had not seen, and they both knew it._

_They both begrudgingly nodded making me smile triumphantly. "Why don't we take her to my house for now?" Gabriel suggested._

"_That would be the first place he would look, because of the history you two have", Oliver interjected giving Gabriel a hard stare._

"_Well were else would you suggest?" Gabriel asked angrily. Oliver closed his eyes in thought rubbing his hand over his chin. "My house", he finally said. _

_I would have slapped my forehead if I was not so afraid of breaking my mask. "I am not kidding", Oliver said having noticed the incredulous looks he was receiving. "No one knows where my home is and it is surrounded by a barbed wire fence", he continued seriously._

_Gabriel and I shared a look before are gazes returned to the scarred man who only shrugged nonchalantly and muttered something about how he did not ask what we do in our free time._

_All three of us nodded in agreement; knowing this was our best option._

I shook my head roughly knowing that I had already gone past the point of no return. We had already agreed on a plan. There was no going back now. The bridge had been crossed, so I just had to sit back and watch it burn.

_Hmmmm… that is catchy; I bet that would make a great song someday. _I thought as I began to carefully put some of Chloe's personally effects into the bag with the rest of my stuff.

I froze when I heard something smack the hard stone ground. I immediately dropped my back, grabbing my pun-jab and whirled to see…

A harmless black leather bound journal laying innocently on the floor. I glared at it for having made me jump.

I roughly bent over and snatched it up, before flinging it open. Chloe's name was beautifully scrolled on the first page. _What is this? _I thought absentmindedly as I observed how warn down the book was. _Maybe it is a diary._

My eyes then widened in realization as I dropped the journal like it had bitten me. It ogled up at me harmlessly, as if it were mocking me.

I looked to the left and right making sure I was completely alone before I picked up the journal again and sat on the bed.

Now that I had the journal in my hand the sudden spark of courage that had made me pick it up sputtered out making my body sag under the weight of my uncertainty.

I then dropped the book in my lap making it fall open. "Oh no someone left this book open, it must be a sign that I should read it", I yelled in fake surprise to satisfy the paranoid feeling I was getting.

I picked up the book again and began flitting through the pages. Nothing in particular stuck out to me until I got to a page with nothing but a half mask scrawled delicately in the center.

I turned to the next page curiously and began to read. My heart began to dance in joy at what I saw. As my gaze lingered further and further down the page a blush adventured higher and higher up my face.

_Who knew Chloe had such a vivid imagination. _I thought dumbstruck.

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Hmmm…

Wonder what he read don't ya?

Read and Review and I just might tell ya =}


	33. Molly

**I do not own the Phantom of the Opera. This is a gag. Not only is it a gag but it is also a very special one-shot for mollyjr3, because she was my 50****th**** reviewer. Enjoy, especially you Molly.**

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**Molly**

I pushed my brown wavy bangs behind my ear. _Why don't they ever just stay out of my face?_ I questioned in annoyance as I glared at nothing in particular.

"You do realize that if you keep glaring at that chair it will most likely die of a panic attack", a deep melodious voicespoke up from behind me.

I could not help but smile as two strong arms wrapped around my shoulders and chest, securing me in my seat at the dining table.

"Oh yes we would not want that now would we?" I asked playfully. Erik's hand snaked under my chin, turning my head towards him so he could kiss me slowly.

My hand traveled up his chest to his face, skillfully removing his mask. Let's just say I have had a lot of practice ;).

The kiss then became heavier, making me turn in my seat. I wanted nothing more than to be pressed up against Erik; I wanted to be as close as I could to him.

Apparently he was thinking the same thing because he suddenly broke away from me, swivel my chair so that I was now facing him. He then looked down at me in a way that just screamed **mine.**

I shivered in my chair at the feeling of being possessed before I reached up, grabbing Erik's collar and pulling him to his knees in front of me. "Mine", I whispered fiercely before pulling him into another kiss.

Before anything could get too heated I let out a sharp gasp making Erik pull back. His face was full of concern as he looked into my eyes.

"Did I hurt you?" He asked with what could only be described as a fear in his tone. "No, no", I reassured him while waving my hand between us.

"I just felt a kick is all", I explained softly as I rubbed my swollen belly lovingly. Erik's hands joined my own as we both marveled at the small kicks that we would feel here and there.

I looked up at Erik without taking my hands from my belly. His eyes were softened as he stared at the still growing bump under his hands.

His eyes then connected with mine as they communicated to me feelings that could never be accurately recorded by words alone. One of his hands cupped my cheek and I nuzzled it lightly before Erik leaned into me and kissed me lightly.

He pulled back slowly; his eyes never leaving mine. "Why don't we try and give this baby a twin?" He asked giving me a toothy grin.

I chuckle lightly before I let out a surprised gasp as Erik lifted me into his arms. "Wait, wait", I choked out between fits of laughter. Erik simply kissed me as he began to walk towards our bedroom.

"Erik, I don't think it works that way", I gasped out; breathless from the lack of oxygen I was receiving.

He looked down at me and smirked before replying. "Well there is no harm in trying".

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mollyjr3 I hope you enjoyed.

Also I plan on doing this for the 100th reviewer as well, if I get a 100th reviewer.

So without further procrastination…

Read and Review.


	34. Shock

**I do not own The Phantom of the Opera. Enjoy!**

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I could see_ her_ through their window. In fact I had a perfect view of her from the stables.

Her lovely milky skin. Her dark rusty hair. Her slate eyes and quivering mouth. It all made up the little vixen: Alyssa.

Today was the day. The day I would make her **mine. **_Now, if only I could get her away from that cow. _I thought vehemently as my gaze focused on her bitch of a sister: Lillian.

_She was always, always, always in the way. _I thought as I sunk to my haunches to begin to crush the line of ants I had spotted in the corner of my eye.

I looked up again to see that Alyssa was no longer in her room. I stood up suddenly, panic rising in my chest as my gazed bounced from window to window.

I let out a sigh of relief as soon as I spotted her in the window of her father's bedroom.

"Now's your chance", I mumbled reverently to myself. I found myself running across their yard, scaling the ivy to the window I had last seen her in and silently letting myself in.

The next thing I saw almost stopped my heart. There she was her rump up in the air, ready for me to mount.

I slowly made my way behind her before sinking to my knees.

I gripped my hands tighter around her hips as she began to thrash underneath me. "Well, well, well. What do we have here?" I questioned, rubbing up my hips against her.

I leaned forward to hear her response, but I only heard her hyperventilating in fear. I let out a slight groan, allowing my head to rest on the red sheets of Mr. Foster's bed as my eyes rolled into the back of my head.

"This must be little Alyssa", I guessed, a smile cracking my face. _Lillian would never show this kind of reaction, she is too used to these kinds of __**compromising **__situations for that. _I though, sitting back up into a behind her.

"That means you are still a virgin then", I continued as I squeezed her hips harder. _I hope I leave bruises, mark her- mark her for mine. Mr. Foster would not mind- he hasn't even bedded her yet. I could take her- I could keep her._

_She would be __**mine. **__She is __**mine.**_

I began to rock my hips back-n-forth, my pants making a slight swooshing as the rubbed against the fabric of her dress. Swoosh- swoosh- swoosh. _Faster- faster- faster. _I chanted rhythmically in my head.

"WHAT SAY YOU ALYSSA!?" I shouted, slowing my pace to a forceful grind. _Say it. Say it. Say you will be __**Mine.**_

I couldn't hear her beneath the bed, but that did not matter. I know what her answer is.

"I have had my eye on you for a while and you know it", I continued. Gyrating, seizing, thrashing, thrusting; I continued.

_I think it's about time we lose your clothes. _I thought, hooking my fingers under the hem of her dress. She thrashed wildly, obviously she was just as excited as I was.

_She wants me- no, she __**needs **__me. _I bit my lip in excitement, my hands shaking. _I wanted to kiss her – I want inside her- I want her screaming my name- I want her- I will mark her._

I mentally chanted this over and over, as my hands pulled her dress higher and higher.

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**Alyssa**

I felt my dress going up my leg. I could hear him muttering rapidly, a stray laugh busting out between his feverish chanting. I made me squirm more.

_Is this what it is like for you Lillian? Is this what you have endured for me? _

My nails dug into the scratching white carpet, trying to hold myself still, but I couldn't, I just kept scraping up and down up and down along the carpet.

_No doubt there would be a sweltering red mark there after he is down with me. _I thought suddenly bitter. _Shouldn't I be scared? Maybe I am in shock. _ I thought off-handedly.

My dress was now pulled up all the way and he had begun to tear into my undergarments. My gut clenched and ice began to circulate through my veins. Tears I had not known I was holding began to run down my face, thick and warm.

His gibberish began to come out faster, more heated, and uneven like the wobble of a bent bicycle wheel.

…

It just stopped. Everything became still, except for this shill and broken patting. _Where was it coming from? _

I listened harder. Oh, _it's me._ I realized. _When had I started to do that? _I thought idly. My frayed attention then became possessed by the red that was slowly slinking across the carpet.

_Was the carpet always like that? _I wondered watching the red slowly drown the white fibers below me.

I heard someone shouting above me, but it sounded almost like I was listening though a funnel.

Suddenly something seized my foot dragging me out from under the bed. There was more red all over the place. I blinked slowly and deliberately making sure they shut all the way.

Something was waving in front of my face viciously. I blinked again. Nope it was still there, and someone was still shouting.

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**Lillian**

I waved my hand back and forth in front of Alyssa's face. She only blinked at me.

"We have to get out of here", I spoke slowly and deliberately. She only blinked at me. _Is she in shock? _I thought my face screwing up in frustration.

I began to unlace her corset, hoping it would help. It was already unlaced. I looked down at the bleeding man at my feet in disgust.

His name is not worth mentioning, but he was one of the stablemen. What he was doing up here was beyond me.

"Come on Alyssa snap out of it", I commanded in a low menacing tone. Her eyes snapped to me as if finally realizing I was there. "Is that what it's like for you?" She asked slowly.

I flinched inwardly before sinking to my knees. "He- he didn't", I began to ask. She shook her head roughly in the negative.

I sighed loudly as I stood up, pulling her with me. "What is that?" I asked noticing the small chest in her hands.

She shook her head lightly as if not believing her eyes. She then slowly opened the chest, exposing all of the diamond and gold laden jewelry inside.

I let out a low whistle as I pulled her from the room and to our bedroom.

_Tonight we escape._

And escape we did.

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**Read and Review.**


	35. Once upon a Time

**I do not own The Phantom of the Opera. This is a gag chapter, meaning it is not actually connected to the real story. Enjoy.**

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Once upon a time… or something like that, there lived a lovely young maiden named Chloe, but most people called her Little Red Riding Hood because of the red cloak she wore.

She also had a mane of fiery red hair and a kind disposition that won the hearts of all that she happened to meet.

One day Little Red Riding Hood's mother sent her out with a basket full of goodies for her sickly grandmother. Before Little Red left her mother pulled her into a tight embrace and warned her of the mean old woof that lived in the forest.

"Remember Chloe, don't stay from the path to grandmother's house or else the wolf will snatch you away", her mother warned while giving her a light squeeze and sending Little Red on her merry way.

Chloe set out on down the forest path and walked for what seemed like, in her mind, a thousand hours; in actuality it was more like twenty minutes.

"Oh bother", she exclaimed one hand going to her check. "If I continue on like this, I will never get to grandmother's house", she continued in exasperation. A bit dramatic don't you think?

After a bit of contemplation Little Red decided to ignore her mother's warning and take a shortcut through the forest.

Unknown to the red headed beauty; she was not alone in the forest. A pair of brilliant teal eyes was watching her from the protection of the shadows.

The owner of the eyes soon emerged from the shadows. He was a handsome dark haired man with two cute, black, little ears perched upon his head and a black tale that was wagging back in forth in excitement.

He also had a white half mask canceling part of his face, adding a mysterious air to him. _What a beautiful women. _The wolf thought rubbing his hands together, a lecherous glint coming into his eyes.

So Little Red continued on her way to her grandmother's house with the wolf following her in the shadows. Though I am not sure how Chloe did not notice the wolf. His lustful panty could be heard for miles around.

Eventually Little Red made it to her grandmother's house and the wolf was forced to spy through one of the windows of the little cottage.

"Hello grandmother", Little Red called out coming into her 'grandmother's' room. Little Red's 'grandmother' rugged face lit up with a smile, 'her' pale eyes locking onto the red headed beauty before 'her'.

"Why, what brings my sexy granddaughter her ta see me", Red's 'grandmother', Gabriel-a, called out in a many falsetto voice. Chloe let out a little laugh before coming to Gabriel-a's bed side.

"Oh grandmother, mother sent me with this basket full of goodies for you", sitting the basked on the bed next to Gabriel-a.

"Did she now?" Gabriel-a drawled as 'she' stretching out so that part of 'her' legs hung over the tiny bed 'she' was in.

"Why grandmother, what long legs you have", Little Red exclaimed, her mouth becoming a large O.

"The better ta get ta ya, my dear", Gabriel-a replied.

"Why grandmother, what muscular arms you have", Chloe continued, pointing at Gabriel-a's arms in surprise.

"The better ta hold ya with, my dear", Gabriel-a purred.

"Why grandmother, what a hairy chin you have" Little Red cried out as she ran a hand over her 'grandmother's' chin.

"What ?!" Red's 'grandmother' exclaimed jumping from the bed and running to the nearest mirror and in the process almost tripping over 'her' long ruffled white nightgown.

"By George, you right" 'She' continued as 'she' angled her head this way and that to look at the 5-clock-shadow that graced 'her' face.

"This ain't gonna work", 'she' mumbled before running to the bathroom, 'her' white nightgown flapping behind 'her'. "Gersh dang-it", 'she' hollered from the bathroom.

In a flash the cross dressing 'granny' was in front of Chloe clasping her hands between 'hers'. "I'll be back in just a minute darlin", Gabriel-a whispered fiercely before 'she' ran out the house at a pace too fast for you standard cross-dressing granny.

"Where are you going?" Chloe called out in worry. Gabriell-a's head popped back through the door 'she' had just disappeared thought.

"I need shavin cream", 'she muttered tersely before disappearing once again.

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End.

Just kidding I am going to be finishing this gag up tomorrow.

Read and Review.


	36. Lumberjack

**I do not own The Phantom of the Opera. ****This is a continuation of gag chapter 35****, meaning it also is not connected to the real story. Enjoy.**

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'The Big Bad Wolf' sat underneath the window laughing his tail off as he watched the burly cross-dresser wolfing it down the path to the store. He quickly devised an evil plan to sneak into the house dressed as Little Red's 'grandmother'.

So on feet as fast a quick silver the 'wolf' snuck in though the window and into a nightgown equally ridiculous looking as the one Gabriel-a was wearing.

"Why grandmother you were quick", Chloe exclaimed before hugging the Big Bad Wolf. The Wolf turned a dark shade of red before hugging her back.

"Darling why don't I take you away from this place", the Wolf whispered seductively. Well as seductively as he could while using a squeaky falsetto voice.

"Why grandmother wear would you like to go?" Little Red asked pulling away from the embrace slightly. "Well", the Wolf said pulling Chloe back into a hug, "I was thinking about introducing you to a man I think would make a great husband for you".

Chloe's face contorted into one of surprise. "Oh- um… okay. What is this man like?", she Little Red asked pulling out of their embrace once again.

"Well", the Wolf began before pulling Chloe back into the hug, "He is strong and handsome as well as very caring and compassionate. He also likes long walks on the beach", the Wolf said with a smile.

"He sounds like a swell guy grandmother, also when did you get that mask?" Little Red asked curiously. "Oh this old thing", the Wolf said shuffling from foot to foot nervously.

"Well I just got it", he said with a smile. Wow, smooth. "Oh… okay", Chloe said brightly pulling herself out of the Wolf's arms.

"So when are we going to meet this man?" Little Red asked looking up at her 'grandmother'.

"Right now", the wolf screeched pulling her into a hug and then picking her up bridal style. "Why grandmother what strength you have", Little Red exclaimed.

"Better to capture you with, my dear", the Wolf exclaimed forgetting to speak in his falsetto voice, so that his answer came out a low sinister growl.

"What did you say grandmother?" Chloe asked genially. "Nothing", the Wolf exclaimed in a abnormally squeaky voice.

Now it just so happened that as Little Red and her 'grandmother' were wolfing it down the road; a lumberjack was taking his lunch break in the clearing next to the cottage.

"Wow, what an ugly assed broad", the lumberjack said monotonously as he observed the old woman currently running down the road with a young girl in her arms.

The lumberjacks eyes suddenly bugged out as observed the bulge in the front of the 'old ladies' nightgown. "Scratch that. What an ugly as bloke", he muttered after regaining his prose.

Suddenly the bulge in the 'old ladies' night gown began to move under the night gown until it was located in the back of the nightgown making the lumberjack eyes widen slightly.

The bulge then began to wiggle rapidly pulling the nightgown up as it did. The lumberjack covered is one seeing Eye while peeking through his fingers.

The nightgown went as high as to expose the 'old ladies' boxers, which were covered in bones and hearts. Suddenly a tail burst out from under the nightgown wagging fiercely.

_Hmmm something seems a bit off here_. The lumberjack observed coolly as the 'old lady' disappeared around a bend in the path with the red headed beauty still in tow. Your powers of observation are riveting.

So he grabbed his ax and continued on his way.

It was at this time that Chloe's 'grandmother' found 'herself' running back down the path towards 'her' cottage with a face full of shaving cream.

The lumberjack immediately stepped in front of 'her' path with a glare. Gabriel-a distracted by 'her' attempts to shave while running did not see the lumberjack until last minute and ended up crashing into him.

They both went tumbling to the ground somersaulting together like a down-hill running snowball. Luckly both Gabriel-a's razor and the lumberjack's hatchet flew away from the both of them.

They both came to a painful stop intertwined with one another. Finally they untangled themselves after a lot of awkward wiggling.

"Where is the girl, old lady?" The lumberjack demanded. Gabriel-a narrowed 'her' eyes at the lumberjack in a way that said 'why, what's it to ya?'

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**Oh no! Will the lumberjack and Gabriel-a ever get things worked out?!**

**Will the Big Bad Wolf keep Little Red forever?!**

**Will I ever finish this story?!**

**Wouldn't you like to know?**

**Wow once again this chapter is really long. For a gag that is.**

**Well looks like I will be updating again tomorrow.**

**Read and Review.**


	37. Damn You Erik!

**I do not own The Phantom of the Opera. ****This is a continuation of a continuation of the gag from chapter 35. ****Enjoy!**

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Gabriel-a and the lumberjack continued their stare down making anyone who happened to be traveling down the path near the cottage turn white and turn back.

"I know ya have her", the lumberjack accused icily. Gabriel-a stamped 'her' foot and put a hand on 'her' hip.

"Of course I gots her, she _is _my grandbaby", Gabriel-a drawled in a squeaky voice. The lumberjack narrowed is eyes, the sun light turning the scar on his face glowing silver.

After a few minutes of glaring he finally demanded that Gabriel-a show him 'her' tail.

Gabriel-a gathered the hem of 'her' nightgown and began to lightly wring it in 'her' hands, a light blush showing through the shaving cream on 'her' face as she gushingly dug 'her' toe into the dirt.

"Why ya young fellas er only after one thing", 'she' gushed. The lumberjack face completely drained of color as he realized what 'she' was thinking.

"You have it all wrong", he said as he looked away from 'her' trying to deny what was occurring behind his back. "I saw a man dressed as an old woman, carrying a beautiful red-headed woman in his arms, running down the path just a minute ago", he continue as he tried to force his composure back.

"Who're ya callin a man", Gabriel-a hollered taking a menacing step toward the lumberjack.

The lumberjack sighed as he tried not to face palm, and shot the cross-dresser a look that said 'you are obviously missing the point here' which Gabriel did not catch at all in 'her' anger.

"The strangest part was that he had a tail", the lumberjack carried on, ignoring the shorter she-man's death glare.

Suddenly Gabriel-a's face went as white as the shaving cream slathered on it. 'She then promptly took off down the road at a full sprint. The lumberjack's eyes widened slightly before he shook his head at the cross-dressing idiot.

_That poor girl. She is going to be in bad shape if rescuing her is up to He-Granny. _The lumberjack thought before recovering his hatchet and taking off after 'her'.

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The Big Bad Wolf had finally carried Little Red back to his lair. "Now", he said sitting Chloe down on her feet, "I am going to leave you here". The Wolf then gestured around the cozy little den.

"The man will be out in a minute, so just take a seat darling", the Wolf requested as he slightly pushed her down into the only chair in the room.

"But grandmother, won't you introduce us first?" Little Red pleaded. The Wolf then patted the girl's hair lovingly.

"I have known this man for a long time, and I trust him completely with my darling granddaughter", he assured in a falsetto tone.

"Okay grandmamma", Chloe conceded before pulling her 'grandmother' into a hug. A deep blush consumed the Wolf's features.

"Okay bye now", he screeched as he hurriedly pulled himself from her embrace and scurried into his bedroom.

As soon as his door was shut the Wolf let out a soft evil chuckle as he tore the ridiculous nightgown from his body.

He then proceeded to dress in his very best, which consisted of dark black dress pants, a white poet's shirt with a dark red vest over the top of it and a black butler styled jacket.

_I had better change my mask so she won't suspect anything. _The Wolf thought as he donned a red half mask.

The brave and handsome Wolf then exited his bedroom to see two strange men in his den with Little Red.

One was a lanky man in a ridiculously ruffled nightgown with shaving creamed smeared on the better part of his face that the Wolf recognized to be as Chloe's 'grandmother'.

The other was dressed in a red plaid shirt and brown overalls. He had a hatchet resting on one shoulder and a wicked scar that went from his right temple to his nose.

"I do not remember inviting you two to this party" , the Wolf spit as his teal eyes narrowed dangerously.

As expected a fight broke out, but it soon became apparent that the devilishly handsome Wolf was the better fighter out of the three. It might have had something to do with is superior strength and cat-like reflexes.

What can I say? He is a stud-muffin that brings woman to then knees.

As we all can guess eventually the Wolf had reduced the two men to two quivering piles of unconsciousness.

"Oh, you are so strong and handsome", Little Red exclaimed.

She then leaped from the chair she was sitting in and into the Wolf's two toned arms.

They then proceeded to make love all night and-

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"Erik", Arabella screamed as she snatched away her laptop from the clutches of the masked man in front of her.

"How many times have I told you to stop messing with the stories on my fanfiction account?!" She screeched, coddling the laptop like a lost child.

Erik looked down at his feet before muttering a sheepish apology.

"No that is not good enough", Arabella whispered in a dangerously low tone. Suddenly an evil glint came into her eye as she opened her laptop and began to pound on the keys furiously.

Erik's face went as white as his masked and he swallowed hard. Arabella's face screwed up in concentration as she continued to pound away on the poor laptop.

Suddenly a poof of white smoke filled the air making it impossible to see anything. Soon it cleared to reveal Erik in a tiny pink Lolita styled dress.

It had white ruffles and ended just past his rump. His legs were covered by pink thigh high socks with black lace on the top.

A pink and black frilly bow was pinned on top of his head. Erik looked down at himself in utter horror before a murderous look consumed his face.

His eyes locked onto Arabella and he took a menacing step forward. He then proceeded to face plant as a result of the stiletto heels he was wearing.

Arabella took advantage of his indisposed state and sat down on his back, preventing him from getting back up.

"Now", she whispered tersely, "you will never touch my laptop again or I will call Chloe in here".

Erik's head snapped rapidly up and down in agreement.

A smirk snuck its way onto Arabella's face. "Good. Now tell the readers to read and review", she commanded in a smug tone.

"For the love of Gawd please, please just do what she says", Erik pleads to the slightly amused audience.

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Well, you heard him.


	38. Hello

**I do not own The Phantom of the Opera. I have been doing some thinking as of late and now I am debating on whether or not to continue to write gag chapters. Please let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

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**Alyssa**

I stared into the face of the opera house owner. They were narrowed in distrust.I bit my lower lip nervously and began to wring my hands. _Maybe we shouldn't have come. _I thought lightly glancing to the side to see Lillian glaring up at the manager.

_He is going to throw us out if we keep it up like this. _I realized as his mouth started to turn into a snarl.

I swallowed hard steeling myself before I stepped between the two fuming people. I turned to my sister giving her a pleading look.

Her face softened before she looked away with a huff, crossing her arms in front of her chest. I then turned to the manager and gave him the same pleading look.

At first he just continued to glare at me and my heart beat quickened. _What if he won't listen to us? _I questioned fearfully.

Finally he closed his eyes with a sigh, his mouth relaxing out of the scowl it previously held. He then focused both his eyes on me. I sucked in a breath fearfully.

Luckily he did not notice it. "Please, I am sorry if our question upset you", I started out. A feeling of pride filled me as I noticed my voice had come out even and calm.

His face softened a bit before hid indifferent mask snapped into place. "It's fine", he said coolly as we walked back around his desk and sat in his chair. He then gestured for us to sit in the chairs in front of his desk with his hand.

I looked at Lillian out of the corner of my eye seeing her nod at me. I then took my seat.

"Why do you want to know where Chloe is?" He asked once we had taken out seats.

I could see Lillian opening her mouth to probably yell at him to mind his own business. I placed my hand on her knee making her look at me before she could utter a syllable.

I looked at her silently telling her that I could do it. She opened her mouth as if she was going to protest, but then she quickly shut it again before glaring at her hands in her lap.

I focused on the owner again. He was just sitting in his chair observing us with an air of suspicion.

I swallowed again suddenly noticing how dry my mouth was. "Well, sir, she is our sister", I explained softly.

His eyes snapped open in surprise before he composed himself. Even with his blank expression I could see the wheels turning in his head. I could only hope they turn in our favor.

"So Mr. Foster is your father?" He finally asked his eyes narrowing slightly to gauge our reactions. I flinched against my will and I noticed that Lillian had gone completely pale beside me.

"How do I know that he did not send you here as spies?" He continued leaning towards a bit in accusation.

"Why in the name of God would we ever help that man?!" Lillian basically spat from beside me. I noticed her shaking with anger so I began to pat her leg trying to calm her down.

"He is a very manipulative man and further more he is your father", he remarked keeping his expression level.

Lillian stood violently from her chair before slamming her hands on the desk. "That _man _will never be our father", she grounded out her chestnut locks cascading over her shoulders and bellowing out where her hands met the desk.

I jumped slightly as the door behind us whipped open. All of our heads snapped around to see a lanky blond haired man, decked out in cowboy boots, and hat standing in the open door.

His pale eyes traveled over the scene in front of him and he began to fidget under our gazes, shifting the wooden box in his arms nervously.

He then cleared his throat before straitening up. "I'm just here ta grab Chloe's stuff", he exclaimed as he stepped further into the office. He then cast what I could only describe as a questioning look at the opera owner.

"They claim to be Chloe's sisters", the owner explained monotonously. The pale eyed man looked over us once more. I sucked in my bottom lip nervously before I glanced at Lillian.

She still had both of her hands pressed into the desk and she was eyeing the cowboy with a look of intensity that normally possessed her face only when she was trying to remember something.

Suddenly her eyes widened and she whipped around so that she was facing him all the way. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion as I began to wring my hands.

Lillian's sudden movement had caught the cowboys attention and he was now staring at her intently. Suddenly he dropped the wooden box before rushing at us.

I was suddenly smooshed against him with Lillian as he swept us into a monster sized hug. I let out a small 'eep' as he began to rock us back and forth.

He then put both of us at an arm's length his eyes filled with joy. "I can't believe my eyes ", he exclaimed as he pulled us back into a hug and spun us around, knocking over the chairs we were sitting in, in the process.

I could now see the owner staring at us completely unsurprised. He even rolled his eyes a bit as the hug continued.

I began to silently plead the dark haired man to rescue me. Instead he picked up the nearest book and began to examine it intently.

Suddenly said book was flying through the air towards us. My eyes widened sharply as the book connected with the back of the lanky man's head, forcing him to release us. I sent the owner a grateful smile.

He nodded slightly at me, his face softening and his eyes smiling. Suddenly his mask was on again as the cowboy rounded on him.

"Wha-the-hell-ya-do-that-for?!" He demanded, his words blending together in his anger.

"You were choking them half to death", he replied smoothly. The tall man crossed his arms angrily as he stuck his hip out with attitude. "Well I haven't seen um since they were just wee things", he muttered darkly.

"You were just a wee thing back then too Gabriel", Lillian shot at him with a smile. _Gabriel? _ I thought putting my finger to my lip. _Why does that name sound so familiar? _I turned to my sister to notice that the two were hugging again.

Gabriel had noticed my staring at him so he opened one arm to me, gesturing for me to join in the hug.

My eyes went from his pale eyes to his open arm. His smile faltered a bit. "Don't ya remember me Ally?" He asked softly.

The nickname snapped something in my head. "Gabriel?" I asked softly in realization. "The one an only", he replied, his grin stretching even wider.

I jumped into his arms and hugged him fiercely. I chuckled happily as he span us around once more.

When we finally broke apart the owner was staring at us blankly, but I could see curiosity and irritation battling in his otherwise emotionless eyes. "We worked in the stable with him back in America", I enlightened him.

He blinked at me in what I could only explain as appreciation. Suddenly Gabriel went very still beside us.

Both I and Lillian looked at him questioningly. Gabriel was staring down at us with a hard look.

"Why did you never tell me that _he _was your father?" he asked with a betrayed look in his eyes.

Lillian grabbed his arm forcing him to look at her. "We did not know until a couple of weeks after you left", she explained.

"What happened after I left?" He spoke softly. His eyes looked into Lillian's, silently asking her exactly what he wanted to know.

Lillian's shoulder stiffened and she looked away from Gabriel in shame. He looked at me silently asking the same question. I shook my head guiltily as I eyed my sister's now quivering form.

Gabriel nodded tersely before picking Lillian up and walking out of the office. If it had been any other man that had taken off with my sister, I would have feared for her wellbeing. But this was Gabriel.

Suddenly the noise of someone clearing their throat had me focusing my attention onto the man still sitting behind his desk. He once again gestured for me to take a seat across from him.

I bit my lip nervously and my hands began to dig into the material of my dress. _I am all alone with him now_. I thought frightened at the prospect of being alone with a man.

He seemed to pick up on my fear because a frown formed on him face and one hand reached up to touch his scar fretfully.

"That's not what I meant", I blurted suddenly before both of my hands slammed over my mouth. _Stupid, stupid, stupid. _I thought viciously at myself.

Slowly I forced my eyes to look at him. His eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging open slightly.

I forced my hands back to my side. "Sorry", I said softly before taking a seat. I shook himself trying to force his mask back on, but his eyes were now peering at me with a mixture of emotion that were swirling too fast for me to catch.

He then cleared his thought, his eyes going the blankest they had been since I had met them. There was once thing that was shinning at me thought, hope.

"How did you know to come to the opera house Ms. Foster?" He asked to fill the silence. I winced involuntarily at the name. He must have noticed because he immediately apologized.

I peeped at him from under my bangs to see him rubbing the back of his neck uneasily. "It's okay, you can just call me Alyssa", I replied giving him a small smile.

I blinked surprise as he smiled back at me softly. "You can call me Oliver ", he said sticking his hand at me. I eyed it carefully. _Darn it Alyssa, you can't be scared of everyman you meet. They are not all like that. _I thought forcing myself to take his hand.

"To answer your question", I said after shaking his hand, "my sister had overheard my father talking about his luncheon with you and Chloe through a hole in the floor of our bedroom", I explained.

That had been while I was in _his _bedroom. I shivered involuntarily at the thought. Suddenly Oliver stood from his desk and began to take off his jacket.

My eyes bugged out as my mind began to jump to conclusions. I all but had a heart attack when he walked around the desk.

He then offered me the coat in his hand. My eyes went from the coat in his hand to his eyes. They were both a charming green even the one that was slightly filmed over from the scar.

I smiled gratefully and took it. His eyes smiled at me before he took the seat that Lillian had occupied.

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	39. Bang

**I do not own The Phantom of the Opera. Enjoy**

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**Chloe**

I sat in the bed at Gabriel's estate. I had my knees pulled up to my chest and the soft blue blanket pulled around me.

My finger's kept sweeping over the sheets bellow me. Back and forth, back and forth until my fingers were numb with its texture.

The clopping of hooves echoed softly through the window to my left. I turned my head to see Eric jumping from one of the horses Gabriel had lent him.

A smile forced its way on my face as I watched him jump from the horse with a flourish of his cape. I could see his handsome face peeking at me from behind his mask. His eyes flickered to my window as if he could feel me watching him.

His eyes were a dark green today and they seemed to focus on me hungrily making me shiver. I strained my eyes to follow him as he began to walk towards the stable, horse in hand.

I put a hand on my chest trying to slow the beating of my heart. _Maybe everything will work out. Maybe I will escape him. _I thought as the vision of that man popped into my head, making my skin crawl.

Gabriel had explained to me the plan to get me out of the country and to a safe place. My gaze went back to the stables where I had saw Erik disappear. _I can't believe he wants to go with me. _

_He has everything here. A home, a job. Why would he want to leave all that just to be with me? _I questioned, my toes digging into the sheets.

_Maybe it's because he cares for you ya dumb ass. _Some part of me thought. I blushed deeply and began to shake my head violently.

"You know if you do that hard enough your head is going to pop off right?"

I froze before slowly raising my head to the source of the noise. Erik was leaning of the frame of the door. He green eyes set on me.

I forced a light chuckle and I began to wring the blanket in my hands sheepishly. Erik smiled lightly before he pushed off of the door frame and walked to the side of the bed I was not sitting on.

I raised my brow curiously at him as he leaned down and yanked off his boots. His eyes caught mine and I realized I had been silently appraising his body. My head snapped to the side because I had suddenly found the paneling on the wall extremely interesting.

I felt the bed shift underneath me as he sat on it. One of his arms snaked around my waist as he pulled my closer to him. I shivered as he breathed softly on my neck, stirring the hair there.

_Why is he teasing me like this?_ I questioned in frustration. _Surely he has to know what he is doing to me._

I gritted my teeth in anger as he continued to cuddle with me. His he had begun to pat my hair and his breath was still tickle me, but it was my ear now.

"Erik", I said hoping he would stop, I would not be able to take much more of this.

He shushed me, his breath still hitting me, his hand still combing my hair.

"Erik", I said again, if he keeps this up I won't be able to stop myself from kissing him.

Erik finally turned me around by my shoulders. He was much closer than I thought he was. His eyes widened slightly. Maybe he had just realized how close we are too.

His face began to turn a light red, and I was sure my face was scarlet by now. "I am sorry but I read your diary", he suddenly blurted out.

I blinked rapidly as if I expected that the action alone would help clear my mind. His eyes peered into mine, like he was trying to guess how I was feeling. How was I feeling?

_Well the jig is up he definitely knows how I feel for him now. _I thought frantically as I bit my lip. Erik's eyebrows creased guiltily.

I swallowed hard. "How much did you read?" I asked in a small voice. Erik rubbed the back of his neck pulling away from me slightly.

"I did not read much, it was more what I saw that interests me", he said as his eyes snapped to me with a new found intention. What the intention was I could only guess.

_Dear God, he must be talking about the sketch I drew of him and me kissing. _I mentally shrieked.

I did not say anything, but my mind was an absolute wreck.

_Oh God, oh God. He knows what I think; now he is going to hate me. Now he is going to never want to speak to me again. _

I felt tears begin to well in my eyes at the prospect of losing him.

His hand cupped my chin forcing me to look up at him. He winced at me, probably because of the tears streaming down my face.

He pulled me into a hug, my face buried into his dark green vest. "Chloe, I am sorry I read your diary", he whispered softly.

Suddenly he put me at arm's length and began to stare at me intently. I wanted to put my hands in front of my face to block him from view, but he had both hands set firmly around my shoulders.

"I know you might not forgive me for what I have done and I hope it does not mess up what we have now and what I want us to have in the future", he said slowly his eyes checking me for any reaction I showed.

_What does he mean in the future?_

"Can I court you?" He asked his eyes piercing into mine.

My jaw must have at least hit the bed; my mind could not process what he had just said. His stoic face began to falter as his eyebrows clenched anxiously.

I still could not form any words and the silence stretched out.

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**Nina**

I sat in my chair in the den, slowly rocking back and forth. _I should tell Chef to put dinner on. I bet that young lady is quite famished. _I thought absentmindedly.

I slowly rose from my chair, my joints creaking and popping in protest. "Shush now you pile of old bones", I reprimanded softly.My head whipped to the sound of knocking at the door.

_Is that the master? He is home early. And why is he knocking on the door instead of coming in?_

I thought curiously as I walked to the door. The knocking came again, but this time more frantic.

"Hold on, hold on", I whispered tersely as I approached the front door. Swiftly I switched the dead bolt and opened the door.

A man in his fifties was staring down at me with dark slate like eyes. His white hair curled around his plump face and his face stretched into a small smile, making his two eyes momentarily disappear between the folds of fat on his face.

I cleared my thought lightly before enquiring his business here.

"Oh, well ya see madam; I am here for my daughter.

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**Lillian**

I pulled Gabriel into another embrace before putting him at arm's length.

"Gabriel you must help us", I whispered to him urgently as I eyed the empty hallway outside of the opera owner's office.

"Hun, ya know I will help ya ta the best of my abilities", he said without hesitation.

"I am not the one who needs help, it's Chloe I am worried about", I said shaking him a bit.

"I already got that taken care of, ya know how much I care fer her", he said with a glint of determination.

I pushed down my feelings of disappointment and released him. "Where is she now?" I asked looking into his pale eyes.

"My estate, why?" He asked innocently. I grabbed onto his hand and began to run to the stables in a panic.

"Where the hell are ya takin me?" Gabriel demanded as I pulled him down the hall towards where I had seen the stables earlier.

"I overheard my father talking about looking there first", I yelled back to him.

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**Erik**

_Why is she not saying anything? Does she not truly feel the same way I feel about her? _

I took one of my hands from her shoulder and put it to my mask. _Maybe she would not be hesitating if she had not seen my face. _

My eyes snapped to Chloe's face when she put a hand on top of mine. I looked sidewise to see that her hand was indeed on top of mine, holding my mask.

Her hand then swept past mine so that it was touching the white rubber of my mask directly. My eyes snapped to hers to see they were focused determinedly on me.

Her fingers slipped underneath my mask, pulling it away from my face. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see her, see me.

_I know she has seen me before, but really who could ever truly accept the distorted lump of flesh that inhabited the side of my face?_

_Maybe this was all a mistake. I never should have asked her, I should have kept my mouth shut._

Something soft brushed the scarred side of my face, making my eyes snap open. I saw Chloe's black slates staring up at my warmly.

I smile broke over my face and she blushed furiously. I raised my eyebrow at her curiously.

"Sorry I can't help it. You just look so handsome when you smile", she confessed as her blush turned a deeper red.

I blush crept up on my face as well, before a smile seized my face.

Chloe stopped gushing at me as soon as she noticed the way I was looking at her.

She swallowed hard, asking me if everything was okay.

"Why yes, everything is actually better then okay", I said as I leaned closer to her.

She swallowed again before laughing nervously. I began to crawl towards her on hands and knees.

Her eyes widened exponentially as she began to back away. "Erik I do not like that perverted glint in your eye", she whispered, her voice breaking.

"Don't worry", I assured her. "I just want to try something that I have wanted to do for a long time", I explained softly, still making my way towards her.

She eyed me skeptically, before sighing. She stopped moving backwards, apparently she had decided to trust me.

I smiled triumphantly before sitting on the bed criss-cross-apple-sauce. I then patted my lap, asking her to join me. She blushed an appealing shade of red before she clambered onto me.

I swallowed hard suddenly nervous. Chloe must have noticed because she grabbed my hand and kissed its palm reassuringly.

I felt a warm sensation spread in my chest as I looked at her, looking up at me with large innocent eyes.

I flung Chloe onto the bed and covered her body with my as a gunshot resounded through-out the air.

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**Mr. Foster**

I stepped over the body of the troublesome old hag before putting my pistol back into its holster. I looked around the little hallway I found myself in.

"Well, well, well Gabriel", I said admiring the chandelier hanging from the ceiling. _It seems ya have made somthin of yourself my boy. _I thought before noticing that the blood from the hag was starting to spread over the wooden floor.

I took a step away from it in disgust.

I looked over my shoulder to the dozens of men I had assembled outside. "Come on in boys", I called throwing open my arms.

Soon all of the men were rushing through the hall in a chaotic wave of violence. "Remember, I want the girl alive", I yelled after them.

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**Gabriel**

_FUCK, FUCK, FUCK. _I chanted over and over in my head as we ran to the stables.

The stable door soon rose up before us and we quickened our pace.

We burst through the door, gather gear and saddling up quicker than a rattle snake bite.

"You", I yelled at one of the stage hands as I mounted my horse.

The stagehand in question froze before turning to look at me. "Tell Oliver to get to my house as quick as he can. Tell him Chloe is in danger", I ordered before charging out the stable.

I heard, rather than saw Lillian following me on horse.

_Dear Lord, please let us be there in time._

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**Well, as you could probably guess, I have decided I am not going to be doing gag chapters anymore.**

**But if I get more than five reviews then I will update with a regular chapter on Sunday as well as the following Monday. If I don't then I will just update in Sunday like normal.**

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	40. Smoke

**I do not own The Phantom of the Opera. Happy 40****th**** chapter everybody! Enjoy.**

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**Oliver**

I looked over again at Alyssa. She had a small smile on her face and her head was craning back and forth, taking in all of the details of my office.

Her hands were folded lightly atop the blue dress covering her lap. Her legs swung back in forth in glee. _She must be extremely short if her feet can't touch the ground._

My gaze traveled back up to her face and our eyes connected. I quickly averted my gaze, blushing lightly for having gotten caught staring.

"So what is you connection to Chloe exactly?" I questioned trying to relieve the awkwardness felt.

"Oh, well she is our sister, but you already know that", she said brightly apparently completely unaffected by what I had thought was an awkward moment.

I smile at her and her oblivious state. I nodded at her silently telling her to continue. "Well", she began unfolding her hands and leaning closer to me.

"Back when we, meaning me, Lillian, Gabriel, and Chloe, all used to live in America we would all play together", She explained.

I nodded before uncrossing my legs and scooting my chair closer to her.

"Me and Lillian would milk cows and help Gabriel in the stable. That's why we know Gabriel so well", she continued as she put her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands.

I felt my eyes crinkle in confusion. _Why would they be working if they are Chloe's sisters? Shouldn't they have been living with her?_

The door burst open causing Alyssa to jump. I was immediately on my feet and between her and the door. I relaxed as soon as I saw one of the stable-hands doubled over gasping for breath.

He looked up at me as if to speak, but flinched and fixed his eyes on the ground. The glare I had been wearing turned into a snarl and I angled my face away from in him so that my scar was only slightly visible.

He quickly recomposed himself, but still kept his eyes glued to the floor. "Mr. Naciuer, Gabriel told me to tell you to get to his house as quickly as you could and that Chloe was in danger", he explained.

Alyssa gasped loudly before pushing past me to the man still groveling before me.

She clasped his shoulder and he jolted in surprise. "Sir, was there a woman who went with him?" She asked, concern clearly visible in her stiff poster.

"Ye- yes ma'am", he confirmed as he swiped his hat from his head and began to wring it. Alyssa relaxed and the man began to blush. _She must have smiled at him._

"Tell Madam Giry she is in charge until I get back", I ordered with a bite in my voice. The man jerked as if he had forgotten I was there. His face went white when our eyes connected and I inwardly smiled when he wiggled out of Alyssa's grasp and ran down the hall.

Alyssa turned to me with a hard look in her dark eyes. "I am coming with you", she stated, clearly not going to take no for an answer. I looked at her hard before giving her a quick nod.

I swiftly turned and around my desk before producing a key from my pocket. With a quick turn of my hand I had the hidden compartment of my desk open and grabbed both of the knives that were in it.

A swoosh of fabric told me that she was beside me. "Here", I said handing her the shorter of the knives.

Her eyes took on a brief tint of uneasiness, before she shook her head roughly and took the knife. I then took her small hand in mine and began to sprint towards the stables with her in tow.

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**Lillian**

I pushed my horse faster and faster to keep up with the break-neck pace that Gabriel had assumed.

The clopping of hooves was drowned out by the roaring in my ears and my eyes were strained to see the wild flapping of Gabriel's duster. Something dark flew past me and my head whipped around to see that it was Gabriel's hat.

My horse jolted a bit at my sudden action and before I knew it, it was rearing back and I was tumbling to the ground.

My head flung back hitting the ground with a sickening crack. My eyes began to fuzz in and out, dimming my vision before suddenly bringing everything into sharp clarity at random intervals.

I sat up with a start trying to see were Gabriel was but it made my stomach heave and soon the contents of my stomach were all over the road next to me.

I rolled away from the sickening pile before curling into myself trying to force out the lights that were now flashing in my eyes.

Red began to seep into my vision as it began to cover the ground and soak into my dress. My vision had begun to dim._ How long have I been laying here?_

Voices filled my head and I felt myself being picked up. _Is God taking me to heaven?_

I would have sobbed out-loud but I did not have enough sense to make a peep. _Gabriel, please take care of Alyssa._

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**Erik**

Everything hurt and I could hardly see. "Chloe", I croaked weakly as I tried to open my eyes. _Why do my eyes sting if they're not open?_

Suddenly light filtered in hazily though the darkness. _My eyes are open. _I thought numbly as a cough racked its way through my body. The light was glowing brighter and it was beginning to get hot where I was.

"Chloe, Erik", someone screamed from a distance. I tried to scream for help but another fit of coughing seized me.

Whoever it was yelled again and soon I could hear banging bellow me. I tried to lift myself up but my head began to swirl and I fell back into the puddle I had been laying in.

_What is this?_ A voice said. _Whose voice is that? _I thought curiously. _Oh wait that is me thinking._

The banging and yelling had gotten much louder and suddenly a door burst open revealing a silhouette of a man against a wall of flames. "Hello", the man yelled. _He sounds so familiar._

I managed to lift my hand and wave. "Oh thank God", the man exclaimed coming to join me on the floor.

"Jesus, Erik, they really did a number on ya", he stated as he strained to pick me up. _How does he know my name?_

"Erik", someone yelled at me from far away. _A wait it's just the man._

"Erik, where is Chloe?" The man questioned as we began to make our way from the room.

_Chloe. _My eyes began to glaze over as I tried to think back. _Chloe. _My eyes snapped open.

There was a gunshot and then chaos broke over the house. The sounds of crashing and banging had bounded through-out Gabriel's home and then suddenly the door had bust open.

I was on my feet immediately, putting myself between the man at the door and Chloe. He had lunged at me with a knife and I had stepped to the side grabbing his wrist and slamming him into the nearest wall.

I had then seized his throat and lifted him up until his body went lip. Someone behind me grunted painfully.

I had whipped around to see a man falling to the floor, his eyes rolling and his hands grasping frantically at his slit throat. His body hit the floor with a thump and his blood was already pooling around him.

My eyes went to Chloe standing above him; with the knife the first man had dropped in her hand and covered in blood.

Her eyes went to mine and they were hard, her eyes locked onto something behind me in terror and she lunged at me, pushing me down. A loud gunshot shuttered the room and Chloe screamed in pain.

My head slammed against the corner of the side table next to the bed, and I felt blood begin to trickle down my face.

The floor rose up sharply under my face before slamming into me. I tried to blink the stars out of my eyes but it consumed my vision until all I saw was a milky whitewash.

Chloe had screamed for me to get up, but everything sounded far away. I had blacked out shortly thereafter.

"Gabriel?" I asked as I gripped onto the man still supporting me. We had made it down the stairs and were now stumbling through the hall towards the front door.

"Yeah, it's me buddy", he grunted out. "_They_ have her", I ground out weakly.

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	41. Doughnuts

**I do not own The Phantom of the Opera. Enjoy.**

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It was just another slow day at the office. I absentmindedly munched on a doughnut as I scanned the newspaper. "Hmmm", I mumbled as I finished the doughnut.

My hand automatically reached out to grab another, but my hand grasped nothing. I took my attention off the paper just long enough to see the plate of doughnuts beside me was empty.

_Damn. _"George", I hollered going back to my paper. The clomping of feet told me that he had heard me and was coming. The door behind me burst open.

"Yes Sir, you called?" He asked huffing slightly. I sighed rolling my eyes and turning to talk to him directly. "George you can just call me Henry and what did I say about running down the stairs?" I asked sternly.

The young man immediately looked sheepish as he dug a foot into the floorboard. "Sorry sir", he said softly. I gave him the look I had grown accustomed to giving rookies. "I- I mean sorry Henry", he hastily corrected himself.

I chuckled lightly. "You youngsters are always so jumpy", I said offering him a warm smile. George beamed back at me before he turned and opened the door to walk out.

"George I haven't told you what I needed yet", I said quickly. George went stiff before he slowly turned around. He rubbed the back of his head and laughed out a nervous apology.

I could not help but slap my hand to my forehead. "I need you to go down to the bakery and pick up two dozen doughnuts", I breathed out. Upon hearing my demand George straightened up, saluted me and turned to walk out.

"George", I said making him freeze in his tracks. He slowly turned back to me with a skittish look on his face. "I have not given you the money for the doughnuts yet", I informed him trying to stay patient.

His mouth formed an O shape and he quickly covered the space of the my office and held out his hand. I turned from him quickly, unlocking the top drawer of my desk and took the sack of money reserved for snacks out.

Handed it to him and brushed his hand in the process. I struggled to keep my face from scrunching in disgust when I felt how sweaty his hand was.

"I won't let you down", George yelled before sprinting from my office. "Don't run down the st-".

My sentence was cut off by a series of crashes that was followed by George yelling out "I am okay". _Well never mind. _I could not help but laugh. George reminded me so much of my boy, it hurt.

My eyes strayed to the picture of my boy on the wall. It was taken the week before his accident.

I shook my head roughly before swiveling back around in my chair to face the window that separated me from the main lobby of the Police headquarters.

_Where the hell does the chief keep finding these new cadets? _I thought as I once again began to leaf through the paper. _It looks like the property of Gabriel Ross burnt down. What a shame. Well at least no one was hurt._

The little bell on the front door jingled lightly. "Wow, George that was fast", I said only half-way paying attention. "But do you remember what I said about coming in the front door?" I ask only half heartedly scorning him.

A shadow fell over me and I felt my brows twirk in confusion. "Well why are you just standing there?" I asked looking up.

The man standing on the other side of the window was definitely not George. He looked down at me with hard brown eyes. His mouth was fixed in a firm grimace and his hair was sheared down to his very scalp.

Overall he was just a hard look man. I felt a bead of sweat form at my temple and had to struggle to keep my face blank.

"How can I help you?" I asked putting the paper down. "Well, you see I have apprehended a criminal", he replied coolly as he stepped to the side revealing an equally hard looking man holding a bundle of cloth.

"Oh, I see", I said surveying the man. I then took a pen and notepad from my desk and asked. "So what exactly did this man do to you?"

"No you idiot it's the woman he is holding that is the thief", the first man exclaimed making me jump in shock.

"Well you see here", I exclaimed standing up with a huff. I paled once I noticed exactly how many men were in the lobby. My eyes darted from each menacing face making me swallow hard.

My eyes darted back to the first man to see that he was smirking. "What were you saying officer?" He asked, his hands crossing in front of his chest.

My eyes passed over the sea of smirking faces again and I slowly sat down. "Good boy", one of the men exclaimed and soon they were all laughing. I felt my ears turn red but I didn't want to say anything.

My eyes darted to the hand gun sitting at the far edge of my desk. _If I could just grab that I could teach these little punks a lesson in manners. _

My attention was drawn back to the window when I heard the distinctive cocking of a gun. I felt my face turn another shade whiter as I saw at least five gun barrels pointed straight at me.

"You don't want to do this", I choked out as I leaned back away from the window. Suddenly the chair dipped harshly sending my rolling to the floor.

Another chorus of laughter bounced through-out the room.

I laboriously got back to my feet. _Damn it, I am going on a diet starting now. _I thought vehemently.

I looked back to the window to see the first man smiling at me mockingly. "Now, this is how this is going to happen", he began as he puffed out his chest.

"You are going to open _that door", _he said gesturing to the door separating the office and the lobby with the barrel of his gun.

"Then you are going to escort two of my men, the girl and I to this facilities holding cells and you will keep the girl here until Mr. Foster comes to get her", he continued with a smile.

My hands had begun to shake at the name of Mr. Foster. _That sick son of a bitch._

I nodded numbly as I fumbled with the handle of the door. The main man stalked in before waving in his two companions. I had to struggle to keep from laughing at the short stature of the man that had previously been threatening. He barely came up to my shoulder, and I was not a very tall man.

The man almost seemed to sense what I was thinking because the barrel of his gun was currently pressed to my temple.

"No funny business, copper", he said slowly. I led them out the rear door of the office before heading down the flight of stair George had fallen down earlier.

I led them down another flight of stairs into the basement where the holding cells are located. I opened the door to the first empty cell. The man carrying the woman walked in and dropped her harshly on the ground.

"Finally, I was tired of carrying her fat ass", he exclaimed barking out a short chortle.

"Enough", the main man said as he began to walk away. I quickly locked the cell door and noted that the woman's head had been exposed.

Her fiery red locks spread out across the musty cot she laid on, obscuring her face. _Poor girl, she probably hasn't done anything wrong._

My head snapped up as I heard three gun shots echo down the hall. I began to sprint down the hall up towards the lobby. I began to huff as I ran up the second flight of stairs and sweat stung my eyes.

_This is pathetic. Move your fat ass! _ I commanded myself. I swung open the door to my office and saw the men arguing outside the window.

I could see doughnuts scattered across the lobby from the door I had opened for the thugs. "Oh God", I whispered. I don't remember moving my feet, but I soon found myself in front of George's body.

I kneeled down and noted that his eyes where fixed on me frantically. _He is still alive. Maybe if I get a doctor. _My thought trailed of as soon as George began to try and gulp down air around the blood that began to pour from his mouth.

"I –I tried", he choked out. "Shh don't talk", I whispered picking up his head and sitting it on my lap.

"Yes, yes Sir", he struggled to say. Suddenly all of his breath rushed from his mouth and his eyes dulled.

"I am sure you have a couple of murderers in those holding cells of yours, so just pin the murder of this idiot on them", someone spoke harshly.

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	42. Familar Faces in Worn out Places

**I do not own the Phantom of the Opera. Enjoy.**

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Drip, drip, drip, drip…. My eyes snapped open before zeroing in on the faucet. I held my breath, daring the water to drop from the spout. A minute passed by, still nothing.

I let out a barking laugh causing the rickety cot to creak beneath me. It might breakdown under me, but hell, I could care less. It's not like the damn was comfortable. Even if the damned spout hadn't been dripping all night, I probably still would not have gotten a wink.

It was so uncomfortable in this cell that Ed had taken to sleeping standing up. Not quite sure how the hell he did it, but I guess if there's a will there's a way.

Speaking of Ed, I had not heard a peep out of him the whole night. "Hey Ed", I called as I squinted into the dank little cell. A throaty response was my only warning before a beam of light hit me square in the face.

I waved my arms wildly back and forth like a madman. The sound of a nylon cord unraveling made me freeze. My cot sits on a narrow shelf about 5ft off the ground and has two nylon cords attached to the two corners of the shelf not embedded into the wall.

And in the peripheral of my vision I could see the cord at my feet slowly unraveling. Sweat began to gather at my temple. Suddenly it just stopped. I let out a sigh of relief.

_Well now I seem to be in a pickle. _I eyed the rope anxiously as I began to inch my way off the cot. The bed groaned out its complaints, but the cord held. I tensed my arms in anticipation before launching myself into the air.

I bounced of the stony floor, but I quickly rose to my feet and pointed one hefty finger at the swinging cot. "Hah! Take that!" I yelled in triumph. A snap resounded through-out the cell and the cot sagged under its own weight before the anchors holding it to the wall screamed bent and shattered.

The bed swung out on its remaining cord smacking me square in the face. Blood squirted from my nose in a large arc as I went cascading backwards. I smacked against the bars behind me and stars ruptured before my eyes.

I sat there in a daze as the world rustled around me. Well maybe not the world, but something was definitely rustling in the cell. "Ed ib dat you?" I asked as I tried to stop the flow of blood with my hand.

A scorching beam of light was my only answer. "Gobamnit Ed will ju cut dat out!?" I demanded using my free hand to cover my eyes.

"Sorry Alex", Ed said softly. I growled lowly before letting all my annoyance go. I just couldn't stay mad at him. "Ib's fine; jusb cover da window back up wib da blanket.

Silence followed my request, so slowly removed my arm. Warm light lit up my closed eye lids.

"Ed?" I asked in confusion. Still nothing. "Ed!?" I said again as I slowly opened my eyes. I hissed as the light stung my sight and lit up the dank little cell. My vision finally focused enough to see Ed looming by the window; his hands clasping the bars that kept us from climbing onto the streets of Paris.

I sighed. This was not the first time I had caught Ed staring out the window with that look of longing.

This was all my fault. If only I hadn't dragged Ed with me when that Lance bastard took me drinking then he wouldn't be in this mess. _God damn him. It would only be a drink he said, she totally wants us he said._

_Why the hell did I find that so appealing anyway?! _I mentally cringed at the thought of sexing up some woman. _Just eww. _I shook my thoughts trying to rid myself from the memories of that night.

_That poor girl. Thank god that masked guy had shown up when he did. Lance got what was coming to him, and I guess we got what was coming to us too considering what we helped him do._

"Hey jusb cober dab up. Der is no use in lookin ad whab you canb have", I stated as I stood up. I wobbled on my feet and was about to go down when but Ed's hand caught me by my hip.

"Easy there partner", Ed whispered into my ear. I thanked my lucky stars that my hand was covering my face. Hopefully he would not see me blushing.

"Geb your damn hands off meh", I demanded as I pulled away. "Did you hurt yourself?" he asked as he stepped towards me, placing both hands on the side of my face.

Normally I would have yelled at him to get off me, or say "Of course you idiot. Didn't you hear the bed smack me around?" But I couldn't, he was too close… and he was touching my face, so I just settled for glaring past him.

He grabbed the hand I was using to cover my nose and gently pulled it away from my face. Ed's deep brown eyes were fixed on my face studiously. "Doesn't look broken, but it's definitely going to be tender", he said before crossing the cell to the faucet.

I watched as he produced a strip of fabric from the pocket of his pants and ran it under the tap, thoroughly wetting it.

_That was something I had always loved about him: his hands. They were big and slender. They always dwarfed my hands whenever he held them, not that he held them a lot. _

_Hell I did not even wanted him to hold my hand. Fuck, what the hell am I thinking?_

I flinched as Ed began to dab the blood off my face. "Sorry", he mumbled before continuing. I stayed silent, peeking at him from under my lashes.

His eyes were set on me intently, making me shiver. "Whab!?" I demanded trying to shake the feeling I was getting. He smiled and just shook his head. This caused some of the black strands of hair to come loose from the ponytail that Ed usually kept at the nape of his neck.

"There all better", he announced suddenly, giving my nose a devout flick. Stickers of pain zipped up my face and tears pricked my eyes.

"Whab de fuck was dab for? You- you big meanie!" I yelled at him before collapsing to my haunches; my hands fingering my nose gently.

He chuckled as I glared up at him. His was rubbing his stubbled chin with his hand, like he always does when he is amused. He turned away from me, yet again producing another scrap of fabric from his pocket.

"Where da hell do you keep gebing dos?" I asked craning my head to see what he was doing.

He crossed the small cell to the sink and wetted the scrap in his hand. He looked at me sheepishly as he indicated to the shredded blanket next to the window.

I glared at him and he just sent me a smile. "Dabs jusb greab! Now how are we gonna keep da lighb oub in da morning?" I demanded rising to my feet.

His smile widened and I really had to work to stay mad at him. "It's not going to matter", he explained with a twinkle in his eye.

I raised my eyebrow at him skeptically as he crossed the cell to the window. He sent me a wink before we wrapped the cloth around one of the bars and began to pull against it.

I sighed and ran a hand over my face, wincing when I touched accidently grazed my nose. I turned away from Ed knowing his efforts were futile.

I let my eyes travel to the bars separating us from the cell of the newcomer. The guard and three rough looking men had just dropped em in the cell last night, and they had not attempted to move since. I stepped closer to the bars, clasping my hands around them, and squinted at the blanket shrouded form strewn out on the cot.

As if on cue the bundle of fabric turned with a moan and fell of the cot it was lying on. It hit the ground with a thud and the fabric splayed open, revealing a head of red hair.

"ED!" I turned and launched myself at him. He stumbled forward before craning his head back at me with a critical lift of his eyebrow. "Ed", I said again in a whisper.

He let out an annoyed sigh and gave me a look that said 'what'.

I gestured to the girl on the ground in the cell next to us. His gaze followed mine and a look of shame consumed his face. He turned back to the window maliciously and began to yank on the bars of the window once more.

"Ed jusb gib ib up, you canb do ib", I said softly, putting my hand on his back soothingly. The crumpling of concrete and screeching of twisting metal snapped my attention to the bending bar of the window.

Ed fell back onto me as the bar gave out. We hit the ground with a thud and a groan. My heart stuttered as Ed put his arms around me and squeezed. He leaned into me and whispered into my ear. "We are taking her with us. We owe her that much."

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**Why hello once again. As you can tell I am back from Europe! **

**If you did not recognize Ed and Alex you may want to go back and read chapter 16.**

**Read and Review!**


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